The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan Tuesday.
The judge is accused of helping an illegal immigrant evade capture by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.
Dugan is being charged with two federal felony counts: obstruction and concealing an individual. She was arrested Friday at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
In a two-page order, the Wisconsin Supreme Court said it was acting to protect the public’s confidence in the court system as Dugan goes through her criminal proceeding.
“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.
The Associated Press noted that liberal justices control the state’s supreme court, 4-3.
BREAKING: The Wisconsin Supreme Court has just temporarily suspended Judge Hannah Dugan’s judicial powers. Dugan was arrested by the FBI for obstructing a federal ICE arrest of an illegal who was in her courtroom facing charges of domestic violence. pic.twitter.com/B0OGF3esQc
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) April 29, 2025
Attorney Pam Bondi provided further details Friday regarding the arrest of Dugan, which had taken place earlier in the day.
The illegal immigrant the judge has been accused of helping is Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 30, who appeared in her courtroom on April 18 for a pre-trial conference.
The attorney general said the man was being prosecuted for beating a man and a woman to the point that they needed to go to the hospital.
When Dugan learned that ICE agents were outside the courtroom, prepared to arrest Flores-Ruiz, she went to confront them, Bondi said.
“The judge screams at the immigration officers. She’s furious. Visibly shaken. Upset. Sends them off to talk to the chief judge,” the attorney general added.
“She comes back in the courtroom — you’re not going to believe this — takes the defendant and the defense attorney back in her chambers. Takes them out a private exit and tells them to leave, while a state prosecutor and victims of domestic violence [in Flores’ case] are sitting in the courtroom,” the attorney general added.
Photos of Judge Hannah Dugan’s arrest by the FBI today at the Milwaukee County Courthouse. Now charged with 2 felonies-obstructing a U.S. agency & concealing an individual to stop an arrest. Both carry a max penalty of 6 years and a $350K fine. @FBI @PamBondi pic.twitter.com/MzhQkPAji1
— Elizabeth MacDonald (@LizMacDonaldFOX) April 25, 2025
ICE agents chased Flores-Ruiz on foot outside the courthouse and ultimately apprehended him.
Bondi explained that when she and her colleagues at the Justice Department first heard of the incident, “We could not believe that a judge really did that,” but they investigated the matter further and decided to charge Dugan.
???? Relieved Of Judicial Duties ????
Per Order of the WI Supreme Court
Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is
“temporarily relieved of her official duties”
“prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge in the State of Wisconsin”
Until further order pic.twitter.com/CYR7xzMcnp
— Phil Holloway ✈️ (@PhilHollowayEsq) April 29, 2025
The attorney general concluded, “You cannot obstruct a criminal case, and really, shame on her. It was a domestic violence case, of all cases, and she’s protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”
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