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Wisconsin Judge Arrested for Allegedly Obstructing Immigration Arrest

Judge Hannah Dugan faces federal charges as the Trump administration warns judges against impeding immigration enforcement.

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Senator John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, speaks during a press conference in Washington, D.C. on September 27, 2023.
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Overview

  • Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan has been charged with obstruction and concealing an individual after allegedly aiding undocumented immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz in evading ICE agents during a court appearance.
  • The White House has expanded its stance, with Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that any judge, including Supreme Court justices, who obstructs immigration enforcement could face prosecution.
  • Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national with prior deportations and violent misdemeanor charges, was apprehended outside the courthouse after reportedly being directed through a nonpublic exit by Dugan.
  • The arrest has sparked tensions between the judiciary and the executive branch, with some judges, including Sawyer County Judge Monica Isham, expressing resistance and threatening to boycott court proceedings.
  • Legal experts are divided, with some seeing Dugan's actions as clear obstruction of justice, while others warn the arrest undermines judicial independence and sets a dangerous precedent for the separation of powers.