Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan resigned after her conviction last month for obstructing an immigration arrest involving a migrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz. Dugan pleaded not guilty and her lawyers say she was following a courthouse policy requiring staff to alert a supervisor about ICE presence. She was suspended by the Wisconsin Supreme Court while the case proceeded and faced impeachment threats from the Republican-controlled legislature. The Justice Department cited the prosecution as an example of pursuing public officials amid expanded courthouse immigration enforcement.
Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan Resigns After Obstruction Conviction Over Migrant Arrest
FILE PHOTO: A view shows the Milwaukee Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, after Wisconsin county judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by U.S. officials, charging her with helping a man in her court evade immigration authorities in an escalating dispute between President Donald Trump's administration and local officials over immigration enforcement, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., April 25, 2025. REUTERS/Vincent Alban/File Photo
Hannah Dugan, an elected judge on the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, submitted her resignation Saturday after being convicted last month of obstructing an immigration arrest, local media reported.
What Happened
Prosecutors say Dugan attempted to help a migrant from Mexico, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade an immigration arrest when he appeared in her courtroom on domestic violence charges. Dugan was convicted of obstruction; she pleaded not guilty and her defense attorneys said she was following a courthouse policy that directed staff to alert a supervisor when Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was present.
Legal and Political Fallout
The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan from her judicial duties while the case proceeded. Her conviction prompted threats of impeachment from the Republican-controlled state legislature. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers’ office and a lawyer for Dugan did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Broader Context
Justice Department officials touted the prosecution as an example of federal willingness to pursue powerful public officials. The case also unfolds against the Trump administration’s broader efforts to expand immigration enforcement at local courthouses and to discourage local officials from interfering with ICE operations.
Background
Dugan was first elected as a county judge in 2016. Before joining the bench she led the local branch of Catholic Charities, an organization that provides refugee resettlement and other social services.
Reporting by Hannah Lang in New York; Editing by Sergio Non and Chris Reese.
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