Wisconsin judge indicted for allegedly aiding migrant escape from ICE custody

Wednesday 14 May 2025 - 11:04

By: Zahouani Ilham

Wisconsin judge indicted for allegedly aiding migrant escape from ICE custody

A federal grand jury has indicted Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, 66, on charges of obstructing federal proceedings and hiding a person from arrest. The charges stem from an incident in which she allegedly helped an undocumented immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, avoid detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.

Prosecutors claim that ICE agents arrived outside her courtroom without a judicial warrant to arrest Flores-Ruiz, who had previously been deported in 2013 and had re-entered the country illegally. He was in court in April facing charges of misdemeanor domestic abuse filed the previous month. According to court records, Dugan was informed of ICE's presence by her clerk and reportedly reacted with frustration, calling the situation "absurd" before confronting the agents.

Witnesses stated that Dugan and another judge approached the ICE officers with a visibly confrontational tone. Dugan then requested the agents speak with the chief judge and led them away from the courtroom. Upon returning, she allegedly told Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to follow her, guiding them through a back jury door in an attempt to avoid arrest. Flores-Ruiz was nonetheless caught by federal agents outside the courthouse after a foot chase.

If convicted, Dugan could face up to six years in prison. Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, emphasized that she denies all charges and intends to prove her innocence in court. Dugan, who has served on the bench since her 2016 election, is scheduled to enter a not-guilty plea in the upcoming hearing.

This case emerges amid broader national tensions over immigration enforcement, with critics of former President Donald Trump’s policies viewing the indictment as an effort to intimidate the judiciary and suppress resistance to federal immigration actions.