Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, accused of helping an undocumented immigrant evade ICE arrest, appeared in federal court on Thursday and entered a not guilty plea. The indictment, which followed a grand jury indictment, alleges Dugan of obstructing justice and concealing an individual from arrest following the incident involving Eduardo Flores-Ruiz. Around 200 protesters gathered outside the federal courthouse in Milwaukee ahead of her court appearance. A trial date has now been set for July 21.
The indictment accused Dugan of falsely telling federal officials in April that they needed a warrant to enter her courtroom during a scheduled appearance by Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national facing three misdemeanor battery charges. According to a criminal complaint, Dugan directed the immigration officers to proceed to the chief judge’s office to obtain a warrant and then escorted Flores-Ruiz through a side door to evade federal agents. Florence-Ruiz was arrested after a foot chase, the complaint added.
If found guilty of both charges, Dugan could face up to six years in prison and up to $350,000 in fines. Her legal team asserted that she has dedicated her career to the rule of law and due process, and maintains her innocence while awaiting trial. They have also filed a motion to dismiss the federal case against her, arguing that she is protected by judicial immunity for her official acts.
On Wednesday, Dugan’s legal team also filed a motion to dismiss the federal case against her, asserting that the government has no legal basis to prosecute her. The motion highlighted the issues of immunity and federalism, stating that the prosecution against her is barred. They called for the Court to dismiss the indictment swiftly.
A criminal complaint cited witnesses who described Dugan as visibly upset and having a confrontational, angry demeanor during the incident on April 18. A week later, the FBI arrested Dugan at the courthouse before she was released from custody.