The FBI arrested Hannah Dugan, a circuit judge in Milwaukee County, on Friday on charges of obstruction of justice for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest. The news was shared by FBI Director Kash Patel on social media, although the post was quickly deleted.
According to a law enforcement official who spoke to CNN, the judge is facing two federal charges: obstruction of justice and harboring to prevent arrest.
“We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misled federal agents about the whereabouts of the individual who was to be arrested in her courtroom, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to avoid apprehension,” Patel’s now-deleted post stated. “Fortunately, our agents pursued the offender on foot and he has been in custody since, but the judge’s obstruction created a greater risk to the public.”
Dugan remains in federal custody awaiting her initial court appearance. So far, neither the arrest warrant nor the criminal complaint has been made public. CNN has reached out to the Department of Justice and the FBI for comment.
The arrest marks a new chapter in the Trump administration’s crackdown on judicial officials who, according to the administration, hinder the enforcement of immigration laws. The Department of Justice has repeatedly stated that it will investigate any local official who fails to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appeared at the Milwaukee courthouse last week and went directly to Judge Dugan’s courtroom. The newspaper cited an email from Milwaukee County’s chief judge, Carl Ashley, stating that the agents were asked if they had a warrant, which they presented along with their identification. Ashley noted that ICE agents were asked to wait until the court hearing had concluded.
However, court documents indicate that Flores Ruiz became aware of the agents’ presence and fled the building. When confronted outside the courthouse, he fled again but was apprehended a short distance away.
Flores Ruiz remains in custody and has yet to make a formal statement. His case is separate from the charges brought against Judge Dugan.
