Wisconsin Supreme Court Suspends Judge Accused of Sheltering Illegal Immigrant from ICE
In a stunning development, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an administrative order Tuesday temporarily suspending Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan from her duties, following her arrest on charges of obstructing a federal investigation.
According to a criminal complaint, Judge Dugan allegedly concealed a previously deported Mexican national—Eduardo Flores-Ruiz—from federal immigration authorities. The judge now faces federal charges of obstruction and misdemeanor counts of aiding a person to avoid arrest. Fox News reports that Dugan allegedly helped Flores-Ruiz slip past Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents by leading him and his attorney out a restricted jury chamber exit after a court hearing on April 18.
The Supreme Court’s order reads: “Judge Dugan is temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge in the State of Wisconsin,” and will remain in effect until further notice. The Wisconsin Court System confirmed Tuesday that other judges would absorb her caseload for the foreseeable future.
Dugan is scheduled to appear in federal court on May 15.
The incident that sparked the charges is as dramatic as it is controversial. On April 18, federal agents from ICE, FBI, CBP, and DEA were stationed outside Dugan’s courtroom, prepared to detain Flores-Ruiz after he faced three misdemeanor battery charges for allegedly assaulting two individuals. Instead, according to the complaint, Dugan directed officers to the chief judge’s office while she covertly ushered the defendant and his lawyer out a restricted back door—effectively allowing him to evade capture.
The FBI arrested Dugan last Friday. During her initial appearance in federal court, she offered no public statement. Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, strongly criticized the arrest, calling it unjustified and devoid of public safety concerns. “Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest,” he said.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that Dugan responded to prior allegations in an email last week, saying, “Nearly every fact regarding the ‘tips’ in your email is inaccurate.”
Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi sharply condemned Dugan’s actions in an appearance on Fox News’ America Reports, saying:
“We could not believe that a judge really did that… Shame on her. It was a domestic violence case, and she’s protecting a criminal defendant over victims of crime.”
Bondi described the alleged violence in graphic terms, stating Flores-Ruiz “hit the guy 30 times, knocked him to the ground, choked him, [and] beat up a woman so badly they both had to go to the hospital.”
The arrest has triggered intense reactions in the judiciary and beyond. Circuit Judge Monica Isham declared she would stop presiding over cases, citing personal risk and moral concerns:
“Yesterday, Judge Hannah Dugan of Milwaukee County stood on her Oath in the very building she swore to uphold it and she was arrested and charged with felonies for it. Enough is enough.”
Isham added, “I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires.”
She concluded by asking, “Should I start raising bail money?” and emphasized that she would not put herself or her staff in harm’s way.
The case is rapidly evolving and has become a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, judicial independence, and public accountability.
