The federal trial of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan opened on 15 December 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where prosecutors accused her of obstructing immigration enforcement by helping an undocumented migrant evade arrest during a courtroom appearance earlier this year.
The case stems from an incident on 18 April 2025, when Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national facing state domestic violence charges, appeared before Dugan. Federal agents from ICE and other agencies waited in the hallway to detain him on immigration violations, holding an administrative warrant.
Prosecutors allege that after learning of the agents’ presence, Dugan confronted them, incorrectly stating they needed a judicial warrant, and directed them to the chief judge’s office.While the agents were away, Dugan is said to have instructed Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to exit through a private courtroom door leading to a public corridor.
Audio recordings presented in opening statements captured Dugan telling her court reporter she would handle the matter. Assistant US Attorney Keith Alexander quoted Dugan as saying: “I’ll do it. I’ll take the heat.”Flores-Ruiz was ultimately arrested outside the courthouse and later deported.
Dugan, who has pleaded not guilty, was indicted in May on charges of obstructing a federal proceeding and concealing a person to prevent arrest. If convicted, she faces up to six years in prison.In his opening statement, Alexander portrayed Dugan’s actions as crossing the line, emphasising that judicial robes do not place anyone above the law.
He argued the episode disrupted routine immigration enforcement amid President Donald Trump’s renewed crackdown.Defence attorney Steven Biskupic countered that Dugan acted in accordance with courthouse guidance during a period of upheaval.
He told jurors the Milwaukee courthouse was navigating increased ICE activity in hallways, and Dugan followed policy by referring agents to a supervisor.
Biskupic stressed there was no intent to obstruct, describing the situation as chaotic rather than deliberate evasion.The trial has drawn attention as a test of the Trump administration’s approach to prosecuting perceived resistance to deportation efforts.
Law professor Steven Wright noted: “Many of the facts here aren’t going to be in dispute.” Prosecutors plan to call roughly two dozen witnesses, including federal agents, with the government’s case expected to continue through at least Thursday.
Dugan, an elected judge suspended from her duties since the charges, has maintained her innocence. Her team previously sought dismissal on grounds of judicial immunity, but the court ruled judges lack criminal immunity for such acts.The proceedings underscore broader debates over ICE operations in courthouses, which critics argue deter victims and witnesses from appearing, while supporters view them as efficient enforcement.
Demonstrators gathered outside the federal courthouse, some chanting support for Dugan.As testimony begins, the jury will weigh whether Dugan’s directions constituted obstruction or standard courtroom management.
Written by Were Kelly
Sources: Reuters, The New York Times, CNN, PBS News, Al Jazeera, Wisconsin Examiner, NPR
