Wisconsin high court suspends Milwaukee judge accused of helping man
evade immigration authorities
[April 30, 2025]
By TODD RICHMOND
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended a judge
accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities, saying Tuesday
that it is in the public interest to relieve her of her duties as she
faces two federal charges.
The FBI took Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan into custody
Friday morning at the county courthouse. She has been charged with
concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest and
obstructing or impeding a proceeding.
In its two-page order, the court said it was acting to protect public
confidence in Wisconsin courts during the criminal proceedings against
Dugan. The order noted that the court was acting on its own initiative
and was not responding to a request from anyone. Liberal justices
control the court 4-3.
“It is ordered ... that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah C. Dugan
is temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court
judge in the state of Wisconsin, effective the date of this order and
until further order of the court,” the justices wrote.
In a statement, Dugan's legal team said it was disappointed “that the
Court acted in unilateral fashion. We continue to assert Judge Dugan’s
innocence and look forward to her vindication in court.”
A state court spokesperson said that a reserve judge began filling in
for Dugan on Monday for an indefinite period.
Dugan is accused of escorting Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer from
her court through the jury door last week after learning that U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were in the building and
seeking his arrest. Flores-Ruiz, who court documents say illegally
reentered the U.S. after being deported in 2013, was taken into custody
outside after a foot chase.
Court documents suggest Dugan was alerted to the agents' presence by her
clerk, who was informed by an attorney that they appeared to be in the
hallway.
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Supporters of Judge Hannah Dugan hold a rally in Milwaukee at the
U.S. Courthouse in Milwaukee on Friday, April 25, 2025. (Lee Matz/Milwaukee
Independent via AP)
An FBI affidavit says Dugan was “visibly angry” over the agents'
arrival and called the situation “absurd” before leaving the bench
and retreating to her chambers. It says she and another judge later
approached members of the arrest team inside the courthouse with
what witnesses described as a “confrontational, angry demeanor.”
After a back-and-forth with officers over the warrant for
Flores-Ruiz, Dugan demanded they speak with the chief judge and led
them away from the courtroom, the affidavit says.
After directing the agents to the chief judge’s office,
investigators say, Dugan returned to the courtroom and was heard
saying words to the effect of “wait, come with me” before ushering
Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer through the jury door into a nonpublic
area.
The action was unusual, the affidavit says, because “only deputies,
juries, court staff, and in-custody defendants being escorted by
deputies used the back jury door. Defense attorneys and defendants
who were not in custody never used the jury door.”
Dugan's arrests has sparked outrage among Democrats, who have
accused the Trump administration of trying to chill the judiciary.
Demonstrators gathered outside the FBI's Milwaukee field office
Saturday to protest her arrest.
She is set to appear in court for arraignment May 15.
Her attorneys include Craig Mastantuono; Paul Clement, a prominent
conservative lawyer; and Steve Biskupic, a former U.S. attorney for
the Eastern District of Wisconsin who was appointed by President
George W. Bush.
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