A veteran Wisconsin judge was arrested on Friday for allegedly trying to help a Mexican illegal immigrant avoid ICE agents during a court session, according to the FBI director. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who has been on the Milwaukee County bench for almost a decade, was arrested on Friday for interfering with the arrest of Eduardo Flores Ruiz.
"The FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction -- after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week," FBI director Kash Patel wrote on X. However, Patel later deleted the post and announced Dugan's arrest, but the reason wasn't immediately clear.
Arrested for Obstructing ICE
"We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest," Patel further wrote in the now-deleted post.
"Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot and he's been in custody since, but the Judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public," Patel added.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Eduardo Flores Ruiz, 30, on three misdemeanor battery charges following his April 18 court hearing with judge Dugan.
Dugan is accused of hiding the migrant and his attorney inside a jury deliberation room, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
However, sources told the outlet that when ICE agents arrived to arrest Flores Ruiz, Dugan allegedly led him and his lawyer through a side door in the courtroom, directing them into a private hallway that connected to a public exit.
Helping the Wrong Person
Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley said in an email that ICE agents had been asked to wait until Flores Ruiz's court hearing had ended before taking action.
Flores Ruiz, a Mexican national, was charged with battery in connection to a March 12 incident where he allegedly hit another person 30 times after being asked to turn down loud music.
Dugan has been on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court since at least 2016 and was re-elected in 2022. Her current term will be ending in August 2028.
Dugan's arrest comes just a day after former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Joel Cano and his wife, Nancy Cano, were detained during a Thursday raid on their home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The couple now face charges of evidence tampering after allegedly harboring an illegal immigrant, identified as suspected Venezuelan gang member Christhian Ortega-Lopez, at their home.
