Federal authorities have arrested a Wisconsin-based decide amid an investigation into whether or not she tried to assist a migrant missing everlasting authorized standing keep away from arrest after he appeared in her courtroom.
Milwaukee County Circuit Choose Hannah Dugan was arrested Friday on fees linked to obstructing a continuing and concealing a person to forestall their arrest
“I can confirm that our @FBI agents just arrested Hannah Dugan — a county judge in Milwaukee — for allegedly helping an illegal alien avoid an arrest by @ICEgov,” Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote. “No one is above the law.”
Dugan’s arrest marks an aggressive transfer by the administration on immigration enforcement and a significant escalation in its battles with the courts, which have issued selections pushing again on a few of the administration’s actions.
Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D) condemned the arrest, calling it a part of a broader assault on judicial energy.
“By relentlessly attacking the judicial system, flouting court orders, and arresting a sitting judge, this President is putting those basic Democratic values that Wisconsinites hold dear on the line. While details of this exact case remain minimal, this action fits into the deeply concerning pattern of this President’s lawless behavior and undermining courts and Congress’s checks on his power,” Baldwin mentioned in an announcement.
FBI Director Kash Patel additionally referenced the arrest in a now-deleted social media put up.
“Just NOW, 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,” Patel wrote.
“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 added Flores Ruiz was later “chased down … on foot” and is now in custody.
Dugan has already been launched and is ready to have an arraignment listening to Could 15.
The FBI in Washington didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark about why Patel deleted his put up. The FBI Discipline Workplace in Milwaukee additionally didn’t instantly reply to request for remark, nor did the U.S. Marshals.
The Hill has left a message with Milwaukee County Courts Chief Choose Carl Ashley.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported final week that Flores Ruiz, a Mexican nationwide, was arrested after being due in Dugan’s courtroom on three misdemeanor counts of battery stemming from a struggle with roommates.
In line with courtroom paperwork, when Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers appeared on the courthouse April 18, they introduced a warrant, however Dugan requested for extra info and advised them they would want to talk with the chief decide earlier than finishing up an arrest.
“Judge Dugan became visibly angry, commented that the situation was ‘absurd,’ left the bench, and entered chambers. At the time, Flores-Ruiz was seated in the gallery of the courtroom,” in response to an affidavit filed by the FBI.
Officers then left to talk with the chief decide, which is when Dugan is accused of telling Flores Ruiz and his attorneys to go away by means of a aspect door used for the jury.
“The courtroom deputy then saw Judge Dugan get up and heard Judge Dugan say something like ‘Wait, come with me.’ Despite having been advised of the administrative warrant for the arrest of Flores-Ruiz, Judge Dugan then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his counsel out of the courtroom through the ‘jury door, which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse.”
The affidavit describes that as uncommon, as “defense attorneys and defendants who were not in custody never used the jury door.”
The Journal Sentinel mentioned it was the third time in latest months that ICE officers have come to the courthouse with arrest warrants.
The FBI affidavit signifies Ashley, the chief decide, was crafting a coverage to restrict the place immigration enforcement could possibly be carried out on the courthouse.
“During their conversation, the Chief Judge stated he was working on a policy which would dictate locations within the courthouse where ICE could safely conduct enforcement actions. The Chief Judge emphasized that such actions should not take place in courtrooms or other private locations within the building. Deportation Officer A asked about whether enforcement actions could take place in the hallway,” the doc states.
Flores Ruiz was finally noticed by officers within the hallway, resulting in the foot chase. Courtroom information point out a number of regulation enforcement businesses had been all readily available to assist with the arrest, with officers from the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration brokers current.
Beneath the Biden administration, ICE was prohibited from making arrests in sure delicate areas similar to colleges and church buildings. The Trump administration rescinded that memo and changed it with a brand new one in January, outlining particular standards for conducting immigration enforcement at courthouses.
Different Democrats additionally criticized the arrest.
“While all the facts are not yet in, the implications of this arrest are chilling. This is a drastic escalation and dangerous new front in Trump’s authoritarian campaign of trying to bully, intimidate, and impeach judges who won’t follow his dictates. We must do whatever we can to defend the independent judiciary in America,” mentioned Rep. Jamie Raskin (Md.), the highest Democrat on the Home Judiciary Committee.
“Every American should be deeply troubled by this massive escalation, and Judiciary Democrats are standing strong for judicial independence. This is an unmistakable descent further into authoritarian chaos.”
Up to date at 3:20 p.m. EDT
