The stunning legal criticism detailing Choose Hannah Dugan’s actions main as much as her arrest and felony prices was unsealed on Friday. (Learn the full criminal complaint here).
As beforehand reported, a Milwaukee County choose was arrested by the FBI for obstructing an ICE arrest final week.
Based on the FBI, Choose Hannah Dugan obstructed an immigration arrest operation final week. Dugan turned indignant when she came upon that ICE brokers had been ready exterior of her courtroom final week to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an unlawful alien concerned in a home abuse case she was overseeing. She allegedly directed Flores-Ruiz to exit the courthouse via a non-public jury door to evade arrest.
FBI Director Kash Patel mentioned Choose Dugan “deliberately misdirected federal brokers away from the topic to be arrested at her courthouse.”
US Lawyer Common Pam Bondi mentioned Choose Dugan screamed at immigration officers final week earlier than serving to the unlawful alien evade arrest.
“The choose realized that ICE was exterior … She goes out within the hallway, screams on the immigration officers — she’s livid, visibly shaking, upset — sends them off to speak to the chief choose. She comes again within the courtroom … takes the defendant and the protection lawyer again in her chambers, takes them out a non-public exit and tells them to go away,” Bondi mentioned on Fox Information on Friday.
WATCH:
.@AGPamBondi describes the stunning interference by a Wisconsin choose in an ICE arrest of an unlawful immigrant:
“The choose realized that ICE was exterior … She goes out within the hallway, screams on the immigration officers — she’s livid, visibly shaking, upset — sends them off… pic.twitter.com/qzmA6c4Uar
— Fast Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 25, 2025
The legal criticism particulars Choose Dugan’s actions to intimidate federal brokers and the way she helped the unlawful alien evade arrest.
Based on the legal criticism, six Milwaukee ICE ERO Job Drive officers arrived on the courthouse to effectuate the arrest “in as low-key and secure of a fashion as attainable.”
“The courtroom deputy defined that at roughly 8:15 am, FBI brokers suggested that they had been working with ICE and had been planning to arrest Flores-Ruiz. The courtroom deputy requested that the brokers wait exterior and arrest Flores-Ruiz after the listening to. The brokers agreed and left the courtroom,” the criticism learn.
Whereas the arrest workforce members waited exterior the courtroom, a feminine public defender approached and took pictures of the officers.
Choose Dugan realized of ICE’s presence and confronted the arrest workforce!
“Choose DUGAN turned visibly indignant, commented that the state of affairs was “absurd,” left the bench, and entered chambers. On the time, Flores-Ruiz was seated within the gallery of the courtroom,” the criticism learn.
The indignant choose demanded to see a judicial warrant and instructed the arrest workforce they wanted to talk with the Chief Choose.
“Witnesses uniformly reported that Choose DUGAN was visibly upset and had a confrontational, indignant demeanor. Choose DUGAN addressed Deportation Officer A and requested if Deportation Officer A was current for a courtroom look. When Deportation Officer A responded, “no,” Choose DUGAN said that Deportation Officer A would wish to go away the courthouse. Deportation Officer A said that Deportation Officer A was there to effectuate an arrest. Choose DUGAN requested if Deportation Officer A had a judicial warrant, and Deportation Officer A responded, “No, I’ve an administrative warrant,”” The criticism learn.
The courtroom deputy mentioned Choose Dugan was attempting to expedite Flores-Ruiz’s listening to so she may rapidly usher him out of the constructing.
It was later revealed that Choose Dugan adjourned Flores-Ruiz’s listening to so she may discreetly escort him via a “jury door” to keep away from his arrest.
“The courtroom deputy then noticed Choose DUGAN rise up and heard Choose DUGAN say one thing like “Wait, include me.” Regardless of having been suggested of the executive warrant for the arrest of Flores-Ruiz, Choose DUGAN then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom via the “jury door,” which ends up in a nonpublic space of the courthouse,” the criticism mentioned.
After adjourning the listening to, Choose Dugan additionally commanded Flores-Ruiz’s attorneys to go away via the again door of the courtroom.
A Sufferer Witness Specialist (VWS) mentioned Choose Dugan “exited via the jury door with Flores-Ruiz and the Hispanic girl. The VWS was involved as a result of Flores-Ruiz’s case had not but been referred to as, and the victims had been ready.”
Flores-Ruiz was arrested after a foot chase.
The choose put ICE brokers in peril quite than permitting them to peacefully and swiftly arrest Flores-Ruiz within the hallway of the courthouse.
The DOJ announced Choose Dugan was charged with “obstruction of proceedings earlier than a division or company of the US, which carries a most penalty of 5 years in jail, and concealing an individual to forestall arrest, which carries a most penalty of 1 yr in jail.”
