Hannah Dugan

Dugan holds a bachelor of arts degree in legal studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a master's degree in American studies from Boston College. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1987 and taught law courses at Marquette University and the Seattle University School of Law.{{cite news |last1=Habeshian |first1=Sareen |title=What to know about Wisconsin judge arrested by FBI |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/04/25/judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-fbi-what-to-know |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Axios |date=April 25, 2025 |language=en}} From 1999 to 2000, Dugan was president of the Milwaukee Bar Association.{{Cite web |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Who is Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan? |url=https://apnews.com/article/who-is-milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugan-c7247d7d053b8f1e098919e69f5853f3 |access-date=April 26, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en |last1=Gruver |first1=Mead |last2=Bauer |first2=Scott}}

Dugan spent much of her career working with legal aid organizations to provide assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation,{{cite news |last1=Ramirez |first1=Chris |last2=Gleeson |first2=Cailey |date=April 25, 2025 |title=What to know about Hannah Dugan, the Milwaukee judge arrested amid ICE investigation on April 25 |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/04/23/milwaukee-judge-hannah-c-dugan-track-record-of-working-for-poor-ice-immigration-arrest-courthouse/83219382007/ |accessdate=April 25, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} and served as the executive director of Catholic Charities of Southeastern Wisconsin from 2006 to 2009.{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Annysa |title=Catholic Charities executive director resigns |url=https://archive.jsonline.com/news/religion/79110432.html |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=December 11, 2009}} She was also active in professional organizations and refereed attorney discipline cases brought by the Wisconsin Office of Lawyer Regulation. Speaking to the Milwaukee Independent in 2016, Dugan stated that she found the judiciary situation in Milwaukee challenging, but believed in the independence of its judges.{{cite web |date=February 9, 2016 |title=Hannah Dugan: Transformational Law |url=https://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/profiles/hannah-dugan-transformational-law/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |website=Milwaukee Independent}}

Dugan was elected a Wisconsin circuit court judge in 2016, defeating incumbent Paul Rifelj with 65% of the vote.{{cite news |last1=Vielmetti |first1=Bruce |title=Tight Milwaukee County judge race ends with no recount |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/elections/2016/04/06/tight-milwaukee-county-judge-race-ends-with-no-recount/84954940/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 5, 2016}} During her tenure, she primarily oversaw cases in the court's misdemeanor division.

File:FBI agents arresting Wisconsin Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan in April 2025.jpg

On April 18, 2025, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) issued an arrest warrant for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old Mexican illegal immigrant accused of misdemeanor battery, who was set to appear in court on April 18, 2025, before Dugan on charges of battery and domestic abuse.{{cite news |last1=Bice |first1=Daniel |last2=Swales |first2=Vanessa |last3=Ramirez |first3=Chris |title=Mexican immigrant sought by ICE is apprehended after hearing before a Milwaukee County judge |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/politics/2025/04/23/ice-arrested-mexican-immigrant-after-hearing-before-judge-dugan/83233154007/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 23, 2025}} Flores-Ruiz had allegedly hit his roommate about thirty times with a closed fist and struck the roommate's girlfriend, causing injuries needing hospital care.

According to an affidavit filed by an FBI agent in support of the criminal complaint against her, Dugan was described as "visibly angry" when she learned that ICE agents were waiting outside her courtroom to arrest Flores-Ruiz. She then allegedly confronted the agents in the hallway, and asked whether they had a judicial warrant. They informed her that they had an administrative warrant{{efn|An administrative warrant is not issued by a judge; it carries less authority than a judicial warrant and it is limited in legal methods of serving, e.g., it may be refused by the intended recipient, who may withhold consent for such agents to enter places where privacy is expected.{{cite web |title=The Difference Between Judicial and Administrative Warrants |url=https://www.motionlaw.com/the-difference-between-judicial-and-administrative-warrants/ |website=Motion Law |access-date=April 26, 2025 |date=January 23, 2025}}"Unlike a judicial warrant, an administrative warrant does not give ICE officials the authority to enter private places without consent."{{cite news |last1=Wen |first1=Eva |last2=Spicuzza |first2=Mary |title=ICE officers use different types of warrants. Here's why that matters. |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/23/what-is-the-difference-between-ice-administrative-judicial-warrants/83219950007/ |access-date=April 30, 2025 |date=April 23, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}}{{cite web |title=Judicial Warrant vs. Administrative Warrant |url=https://www.beluminus.org/warrants/ |website=The Luminus Network for New Americans |access-date=April 30, 2025}}}} to detain Flores-Ruiz.{{Cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan Arrested by FBI in Immigration Dispute |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/25/us/politics/fbi-arrest-judge.html |access-date=April 26, 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Dugan then told the agents that they needed a judicial warrant, not an administrative warrant, and she directed them to speak to Chief Judge Carl Ashley. She then returned to her courtroom.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, when Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley notified Dugan of this warrant via email, Dugan responded saying "a warrant was not presented in the hallway on the sixth floor".

File:FBI charging document against Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan.pdf

After Dugan returned to her courtroom, instead of holding the hearing, for which the alleged victims were present in court, she directed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to leave using the jury room exit to the public hallway.{{cite news |last1=Roebuck |first1=Jeremy |last2=Marley |first2=Patrick |last3=Stein |first3=Perry |last4=Berman |first4=Mark |last5=Hsu |first5=Spencer |last6=Hawkins |first6=Derek |title=Wisconsin judge arrested by FBI, charged with obstructing immigrant arrest |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/04/25/wisconsin-judge-arrest-fbi-ice-immigration-enforcement/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 25, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Durkin Richer |first1=Alanna |last2=Shastri |first2=Devi |last3=Bauer |first3=Scott |title=Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan is accused of helping a man evade immigration agents and is arrested |url=https://apnews.com/article/immigration-judge-arrested-7997186bbca5730e70a25f2347e631f6 |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Associated Press |date=April 25, 2025 |language=en}} This alternate exit led through a hallway before opening to the public area where she and the agents had spoken.{{Cite news |last1=Swales |first1=Vanessa |last2=Spicuzza |first2=Mary |last3=Diedrich |first3=John |last4=Bice |first4=Daniel |title=Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan charged with 2 felonies in ICE case |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/breaking/2025/04/25/milwaukee-county-judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-by-feds-at-courthouse/83270885007/ |access-date=April 27, 2025 |date=April 25, 2025 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |language=en-US}} Flores-Ruiz took an elevator, where he was spotted and followed by a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, and left the building.{{cite news |last1=Deidrich |first1=John |title=Milwaukee man ran from ICE agents looking for him in courthouse, prosecutors say |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2025/04/25/milwaukee-man-ran-from-ice-agents-at-courthouse-prosecutors-say/83273338007/ |access-date=April 26, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 25, 2025}} The ICE agents chased after him and arrested him near the intersection of West State Street and Tenth Street.{{cite news |last1=Breuninger |first1=Kevin |title=FBI arrests Wisconsin Judge Dugan on obstruction charge, escalates Trump immigration enforcement effort |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/25/fbi-arrest-judge-hannah-dugan-milwaukee.html |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=CNBC |date=April 25, 2025 |language=en}} Flores-Ruiz is being held at the Dodge Detention Facility in Juneau, Wisconsin.

The FBI subsequently opened an investigation into whether Dugan helped an immigrant avoid arrest.{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Isiah |title=FBI investigating Milwaukee County judge after third courthouse ICE arrest |url=https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/fbi-investigating-milwaukee-county-judge-after-third-courthouse-ice-arrest/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Wisconsin Examiner |date=April 24, 2025}}{{cite news |last1=Bohr |first1=Nick |title=Milwaukee judge faces probe after incident with ICE agents |url=https://www.wisn.com/article/milwaukee-judge-faces-probe-courthouse-incident-immigration-agents/64568995 |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=WISN-TV |date=April 24, 2025 |language=en}} Dugan was arrested by FBI agents on April 25, 2025, and charged with two felony counts of obstruction and concealing an individual.{{cite news |last1=Bice |first1=Daniel |last2=Diedrich |first2=John |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan arrested, charged with 2 felonies in ICE case |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/breaking/2025/04/25/milwaukee-county-judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-by-feds-at-courthouse/83270885007/ |access-date=April 28, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest in a social media post on X, stating that Dugan had "intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse".{{cite news |last1=Barr |first1=Luke |title=Judge Hannah Dugan arrested by FBI for allegedly helping undocumented immigrant 'evade arrest' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-fbi-allegedly-helping-undocumented/story?id=121161497 |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=ABC News |date=April 25, 2025 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Benen |first=Steve |date=April 25, 2025 |title=As FBI arrests judge in Wisconsin, AG Pam Bondi directs new threats at the judiciary |url=https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/fbi-arrests-judge-wisconsin-ag-pam-bondi-directs-new-threats-judiciary-rcna203061 |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=MSNBC}}

Dugan appeared before US Magistrate Judge Stephen C. Dries that morning and made no public comments, but her attorney told the court that Dugan "wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety."{{cite news |last1=Diedrich |first1=John |last2=Bice |first2=Daniel |title=Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan charged with 2 felonies in ICE case |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/breaking/2025/04/25/milwaukee-county-judge-hannah-dugan-arrested-by-feds-at-courthouse/83270885007/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 25, 2025}}{{Cite web |last=Farias |first=Cristian |date=April 26, 2025 |title=Judge Dugan's Arrest Has Nothing to Do With Public Safety |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/judge-hannah-dugan-arrest-wisconsin-fbi-ice-public-safety.html |access-date=April 26, 2025 |website=Intelligencer |language=en}} Following her initial hearing, she hired former U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic and former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement to represent her.{{cite news |last1=Spivak |first1=Cary |last2=Bice |first2=Dainel |last3=Diedrich |first3=John |title=Judge Hannah Dugan has all-star legal team, including 'LeBron James of lawyers' |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/29/see-the-legal-players-in-the-case-against-milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugan/83327855007/ |access-date=April 29, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 29, 2025}}{{cite news |url=https://news.bloomberglaw.com/litigation/paul-clement-joins-arrested-milwaukee-judges-legal-team |title=Paul Clement Joins Arrested Milwaukee Judge's Legal Team |first=Alex |last=Ebert |work=Bloomberg Law |date=April 29, 2025}}

Chief Judge Carl Ashley said in a statement that Dugan's caseload would be handled by another jurist in the courthouse and declined to comment further. A reserve judge will be appointed to take over Dugan's caseload.{{cite news |last1=Hemingway |first1=Ahmad |last2=Shalvey |first2=Kevin |title=Reserve judge to handle cases of Milwaukee judge arrested by FBI, court says |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/reserve-judge-handle-cases-milwaukee-judge-arrested-fbi/story?id=121230934 |access-date=April 29, 2025 |work=ABC News |date=April 28, 2025 |language=en}} On April 29, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued an order relieving Dugan of her duties during the length of her federal trial.{{cite news |last1=Stelloh |first1=Tim |title=Milwaukee judge charged with obstructing immigration agents is relieved of duty |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/milwaukee-judge-suspended-hannah-dugan-rcna203629 |access-date=April 29, 2025 |work=NBC News |date=April 29, 2025 |language=en}}

Republican lawmakers defended the arrest, with Congressman Derrick Van Orden (WI–03) stating that "many activist judges around the county have been acting politically in order to sabotage President Trump's agenda, and disenfranchise the 77 million Americans that voted for him".{{cite news |last1=Solender |first1=Andrew |date=April 25, 2025 |title='Unbelievable': Congress erupts over FBI arrest of Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/04/25/fbi-arrest-judge-hannah-dugan-wisconsin-congress |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Axios |language=en}} Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker called on Republican leaders of the Wisconsin Legislature to convene an extraordinary session to impeach and remove Dugan from office, and Congressman Tony Wied (WI–08) called for Dugan's resignation.{{cite news |last1=Bentley |first1=Drake |last2=Ramirez |first2=Chris |last3=Andrea |first3=Lawrence |last4=Wen |first4=Eva |last5=Swales |first5=Vanessa |title=Politicians, lawyers and more react to arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/milwaukee/2025/04/25/reactions-to-judge-hannah-dugans-arrest-by-fbi/83276195007/ |access-date=April 26, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 26, 2025}} United States Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in an interview that she would continue to arrest judges opposed to Trump's immigration policy, saying: "we will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you."{{Cite web |last=Lalljee |first=Jason |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Trump AG says Hannah Dugan arrest is warning to other judges: "we will prosecute you" |url=https://www.axios.com/2025/04/25/hannah-dugan-trump-bondi-fbi-arrest |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Axios}}

Dugan's arrest was condemned by multiple Democratic lawmakers in the US House of Representatives.{{cite news |last1=Redman |first1=Henry |title=FBI arrests Milwaukee County judge |url=https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/fbi-arrests-milwaukee-county-judge/ |access-date=April 25, 2025 |work=Wisconsin Examiner |date=April 25, 2025}}{{Cite web |author=Ferrara |first=John Ross |date=April 25, 2025 |title=Extreme abuse of federal power: Local lawmaker calls out Trump for FBI's arrest of Wisconsin judge |url=https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/extreme-abuse-of-federal-power-local-lawmaker-calls-out-trump-for-fbis-arrest-of-wisconsin-judge/ |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=KRON4}} U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, who represents Wisconsin, accused President Donald Trump of attacking democratic values, saying that the arrest threatens to breach the separation of powers set by the US Constitution. Milwaukee's Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI–04) said she was, "very alarmed at the increasingly lawless actions of the Trump Administration, and in particular ICE, who have been defying courts and acting with disregard for the Constitution."{{Cite press release|url= https://urbanmilwaukee.com/pressrelease/congresswoman-gwen-moore-statement-on-arrest-of-milwaukee-county-circuit-judge-hannah-dugan/|title= Congresswoman Gwen Moore Statement on Arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan |work= Office of US Representative Gwen Moore |date= April 25, 2025 |via= Urban Milwaukee |accessdate= April 25, 2025 }} Mark Pocan (WI–02) said the arrest is "stuff I expect from Third World countries" and called for an investigation.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said that aggressive federal interference at the Milwaukee County Courthouse was having a detrimental effect on normal legal processes,{{cite news|url= https://wtmj.com/homepage-showcase/2025/04/25/milwaukee-city-leaders-react-to-judge-dugans-arrest/ |title= Milwaukee city leaders react to Judge Dugan's arrest |first= Sean |last= Brynda |date= April 25, 2025 |work= WTMJ (AM) |accessdate= April 25, 2025 }} with a similar view expressed by Milwaukee state Assemblyman Ryan Clancy.{{cite press release|url= https://www.wispolitics.com/2025/rep-clancy-commends-judge-hannah-dugans-defense-of-due-process-against-ices-continued-attacks/ |title= Rep. Clancy: Commends Judge Hannah Dugan's defense of due process against ICE's continued attacks |date= April 23, 2025 |work= Office of Representative Ryan Clancy |via= Wispolitics.com |accessdate= April 25, 2025 }}

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that five legal experts, including former federal prosecutors, did not believe Dugan should be charged with a federal crime.{{cite news |last1=Wen |first1=Eva |date=April 25, 2025 |title=A Milwaukee judge is accused of helping a man evade ICE. What do legal experts have to say? |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/25/fbi-investigating-allegations-that-milwaukee-judge-helped-an-immigrant-avoid-ice-arrest-dugan/83250128007/ |access-date=April 28, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel}} Christopher Wellborn, the president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, criticized the arrest, saying that American democracy "rests upon the independence of the judiciary" and any "retaliatory action from the executive branch that appears to undermine this foundation demands our unwavering scrutiny and a resounding response."

Retired Massachusetts Supreme Court justice Geraldine Hines commented "This kind of prosecution is... an effort to intimidate judges".{{cite magazine |last=Serwer |first=Adam |date=April 26, 2025|title= Trump Administration to Judges: 'We Will Find You'|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2025/04/trump-administration-initimidates-judges/682620 |magazine=The Atlantic |location=Washington, DC |publisher=The Atlantic Monthly Group |access-date=April 28, 2025}} Monica Isham, a circuit court judge in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, sent an email to other state judges with the subject line "Guidance Requested or I Refuse to Hold Court". In the email, she noted that she had sworn an oath to uphold both the U.S. and Wisconsin constitutions, and said: "I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process, as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires."{{Cite web |date=April 26, 2025 |title=Wisconsin Judge Monica Isham Threatens Not To Hold Court Over Hannah Dugan Arrest |url=https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/wisconsin-judge-monica-isham-hannah-dugan-arrest/ |access-date=April 28, 2025 |website=Wisconsin Right Now |language=en-US}}

Protests were held outside of the U.S. Courthouse in Milwaukee on April 25,{{cite news |last1=Fogarty |first1=Bridget |last2=Spicuzza |first2=Mary |last3=Swales |first3=Vanessa |last4=Torres |first4=Ricardo |title=Protesters decry arrest of Milwaukee judge charged with helping immigrant evade ICE |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/25/protesters-decry-arrest-of-milwaukee-judge-charged-with-helping-immigrant-evade-ice/83274429007/ |access-date=April 26, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 25, 2025}} and the FBI field office in St. Francis on April 26.{{cite news |last1=Castro |first1=Gina Lee |title=Protesters outside Milwaukee FBI Field Office denounce arrest of Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/2025/04/26/protest-outside-fbi-office-slams-milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugans-arrest/83296034007/ |access-date=April 26, 2025 |work=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |date=April 26, 2025}}

• United States v. Joseph (2019), a federal criminal prosecution of a state court judge and a court officer for allegedly helping a state court defendant evade federal immigration authorities by allowing him to leave a court hearing through a rear door of the courthouse

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• Criminal Complaint Affidavit filed by the FBI in U.S. District Court (E.D. Wis. 25-M-397 (SCD)
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{{Second presidency of Donald Trump}}

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Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American judges

Category:21st-century American women judges

Category:Boston College alumni

Category:Catholics from Wisconsin

Category:Marquette University faculty

Category:People from Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

Category:Seattle University faculty

Category:University of Wisconsin–Madison alumni

Category:University of Wisconsin Law School alumni

Category:Wisconsin circuit court judges

Category:Wisconsin lawyers

Category:Second Trump administration controversies