Federal jury convicts Dugan in immigration case

A federal jury has convicted Milwaukee County circuit judge Hannah Dugan of felony obstruction of federal immigration agents.

Authorities accused Dugan of interfering with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as they attempted to arrest an illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, at the Milwaukee County courthouse. Flores-Ruiz has since been deported.

The guilty verdict prompted Republican leaders to call for Dugan’s resignation.

Specifically, the jury found Dugan guilty of one count of felony obstruction after an incident last April, when the judge directed federal agents to the county chief judge’s office while telling Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to exit the courtroom via a private hallway.

The misdirection led to a foot chase in the streets before an agent wrestled Flores-Ruiz to the ground.

The jury found Dugan not guilty on a separate misdemeanor count of concealing a person from arrest. The felony conviction carries a potential penalty of up to five years in prison. No sentencing hearing has been scheduled. 

Following the verdict, interim U.S. attorney Brad Schimel thanked jurors for their service and urged the public to respond to the outcome peacefully.

“There are several important messages that would be the same no matter the verdict,” Schimel said. “First, we all owe a debt of gratitude to the jurors for their service and dedication—our justice system is not always perfect, but it is the best the world has ever known. Much of the credit for that belongs to citizens who sacrifice to serve as jurors, and our justice system would not work without their service.”

Second, Schimel urged the public to keep the case in perspective. 

“Some have sought to make this about a larger political battle,” he said. “While this case is serious for all involved, it is ultimately about a single bad day in a public courthouse. It was a criminal case like the many that make their way through this courthouse every day, and we all must accept the verdict peacefully.”

Third, the U.S. attorney said, though much of the work on the case took place prior to his appointment, he witnessed the hard work and extraordinary talent of the team in his office that put the final pieces of the case together.

“I am immensely proud of them,” he said. “The three seasoned trial attorneys worked tirelessly to prepare the presentation of this case, and based upon my experience, they tried it masterfully. Many other attorneys and our very capable litigation support staff also worked long hours to put this together.”

Schimel also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their investigative efforts. 

“This was a serious matter for which it was necessary to seek to hold judge Dugan accountable,” he said. “We have all heard the phrase, ‘no one is above the law.’ It is apt in this case. A judge holds a high position of public trust, and judge Dugan’s actions violated that trust. Her own recorded words demonstrate that she knew what she was doing was wrong.”

Experience and common sense, as well as the evidence presented in the case, demonstrate that the safest place to execute an arrest warrant can often be within the public area of a courthouse, Schimel said, because there is security screening to ensure that no one who enters is armed. 

“That is why federal law enforcement agents sought, as law enforcement does every day, to utilize that safer environment to accomplish this arrest,” he said. “But the defendant’s actions provided an opportunity for a wanted subject to flee outside the courthouse, which led to a dangerous foot chase through automobile traffic and eventually to an agent taking the subject to the ground, which is always hazardous for both the officer and the suspect. There was certainly the potential for many other dangers, as well. Thankfully, no one was injured.”

Doing their sworn job

Schimel said law enforcement officers were carrying out their sworn responsibility to execute an arrest warrant. 

“Whenever they perform their duties, they should reasonably be entitled to do so in the safest possible conditions,” he said. “When someone, especially a sworn public official, puts them in unnecessary danger by obstructing those efforts to make an arrest as safely as possible, they must be held accountable.”

That said, Schimel said Dugan had exercised her constitutional right to put the government to its proof. 

“We met that burden, and the jury has found the defendant guilty of a felony,” he said. “It will now be up to the judge to determine the appropriate sentence.”

According to federal authorities, ICE agents and officers from other agencies arrived at the Milwaukee County courthouse on April 18 to execute an arrest warrant for Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant wanted by federal immigration officials. Agents waited outside the courtroom hallway to execute the arrest, but Dugan sent the officers one way and Flores-Ruiz another.

The conviction prompted swift reaction from Republican legislative leaders. Assembly Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Assembly majority leader Tyler August (R-Walworth) called on Dugan to resign immediately to prevent impeachment proceedings.

“Last night a Milwaukee County Judge was convicted of a felony for obstructing the United States government,” Vos and August said. “Judge Hannah Dugan, while wearing judicial robes of the state of Wisconsin, attempted to impede the lawful work of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.” 

The lawmakers cited the Wisconsin constitution, which bars individuals convicted of a felony from holding public office unless pardoned.

“The last time a Wisconsin judge was impeached was in 1853,” the lawmakers said. “If judge Dugan does not resign from her office immediately, the Assembly will begin impeachment proceedings.” 

Vos and August also referenced a 1976 opinion from then-attorney general Bronson La Follette, stating that a felony conviction of a state senator created an immediate vacancy in office, and the senator “was effectually divested of any right or title to the office. His status with reference to the office was fixed at the time of his conviction.”

“Such is the case here,” they said. “Judge Dugan must recognize that the law requires her resignation.” 

The legislators concluded that Dugan’s continued presence on the bench would undermine confidence in the judiciary.

“Wisconsinites deserve to know their judiciary is impartial and that justice is blind,” they said. “Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege of serving the people of Wisconsin has come to an end.” 

Begging to differ

Not all reactions to the verdict supported the prosecution. In a statement, the immigrant advocacy organization Voces de la Frontera warned that the conviction threatened judicial independence and due process.

“The federal jury verdict finding Milwaukee County circuit court judge Hannah Dugan guilty of obstructing immigration agents sets a dangerous precedent for the judiciary and for the constitutional rights of all people,” the organization stated. 

Voces de la Frontera characterized the case as a “political prosecution” and argued that it criminalized actions taken to protect the integrity of the court and the rights of individuals appearing before a judge.

“This case is not about one judge,” the group said. “It is about the normalization of ICE operating in courthouses and the expansion of immigration enforcement into spaces meant to guarantee fairness, safety, and access to justice. By validating this prosecution, the verdict blurs the line between the courts and executive enforcement power, signaling that the law will be enforced aggressively against immigrants and those who dare to defend their rights, while the privileged and powerful continue to evade accountability.” 

The organization cautioned that allowing immigration arrests in courthouses could deter individuals from appearing in court and thus weaken the justice system. Across the country, the group asserted, ICE has carried out warrantless arrests, forcibly separated families, racially profiled, and detained and deported people who are actively pursuing asylum or lawful status.

“When people fear arrest for showing up to court, the justice system fails,” the statement said. “Families are driven into the shadows, trust collapses, and entire communities suffer. These are tools of authoritarian systems—using fear and punishment to suppress dissent and enforce political agendas.” 

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, Voces de la Frontera’s executive director, said the verdict sends a troubling message to judges and court staff nationwide.

“This verdict tells judges, court staff, and our communities that defending due process comes with consequences,” Neumann-Ortiz said. “That is not justice, it is intimidation.”

Neumann-Ortiz said her group rejects a system that uses prosecution and brute force to advance what she called a far-right anti-immigrant agenda and that criminalizes those she says stand up against an assault on human and constitutional rights.

“We stand in solidarity with judge Hannah Dugan as her legal defense moves forward to clear her name, and we stand with the immigrant community in calling for ICE out of our courtrooms and growing our court accompaniment program,” she said.

Dugan’s legal team has in fact signaled that the case is not over. Her attorney told reporters that the defense plans to file post-trial motions seeking to overturn the conviction, WisPolitics reported, with Dugan’s attorneys questioning how jurors could find her guilty on one count while acquitting her on another related charge. 

U.S. district judge Lynn Adelman has given both sides several weeks to submit legal briefs and has not yet scheduled a sentencing hearing.  Earlier this year, the Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan with pay pending the outcome of the case. 

Since the conviction, more reactions have continued to emerge. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate for governor, called for Dugan’s imprisonment.

“GUILTY,” Tiffany posted on X. “Now, lock her up. Hannah Dugan obstructed federal agents attempting to arrest an illegal alien with a violent criminal history, including strangulation, suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse.”

State Rep. Barb Dittrich (R-Oconomowoc) also called for serious consequences.

“Now, this woman needs to be removed from the bench, and her law license revoked,” Dittrich posted on X. “This was shameful judicial misconduct.”

Former Gov. Scott Walker weighed in as well: “No one is above the law. Obstruction of justice against ICE agents doing their job is illegal. Let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can try to block federal agents.”

Richard Moore is the author of “Dark State” and may be reached at richardd3d.substack.com.