FBI arrests Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan; accused of obstructing ICE arrest

Milwaukee Co. judge arrested, federally charged

A battle over immigration enforcement is boiling over after a Milwaukee County judge is charged with federal crimes. Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested on Friday morning, April 25, 2025 by federal agents, accused of helping an undocumented man avoid immigration enforcement at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

MILWAUKEE - A battle over immigration enforcement is boiling over after a Milwaukee County judge is charged with federal crimes.

Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested on Friday morning, April 25, 2025 by federal agents.

She's now accused of helping an undocumented man avoid immigration enforcement at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

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Friday arrest and response

What we know:

Judge Hannah Dugan is now out of federal custody after she appeared this morning on two felony federal charges.

As word spread Friday of Judge Hannah Dugan's arrest, and the crowd of supporters outside the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse grew, the judge was whisked out the back door alongside her attorney.

Hannah Dugan at a Milwaukee Bar Association judicial candidates forum (February 2012)

She had just appeared before a federal judge, charged with obstructing or impeding the arrest of an undocumented person and concealing the person to prevent the man's arrest.

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz case

What we know:

It's all connected to a series of events federal prosecutors say happened last Friday in and outside Dugan's county courtroom a mile away.

29-year-old Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear before Dugan in a county misdemeanor battery case.

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz

The government says a state public defender, who was there for another case, told Dugan's clerk there were ICE agents in the hallway.

Filings say Dugan left the courtroom, confronted the agents, and told them to go to the chief judge's office down the hall.

While there, prosecutors say Dugan returned to the bench and eventually escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a door that led to a non-public part of the courthouse.

Filings say Flores-Ruiz made it down from the sixth floor to the street where he was arrested after a chase.

Court documents say Flores-Ruiz was removed from the U.S. in 2013.

Court proceedings

What we know:

After Dugan's arrest, Chief Judge Carl Ashley said in a statement he's restricted from commenting, and another judge will cover Dugan's calendar.

Dugan appeared in handcuffs Friday morning before a magistrate judge.

The hearing lasted about three minutes.

Dugan was eventually released on her promise to come back to court as her crowd of supporters grew.

Federal prosecutors say they plan on seeking an indictment against Dugan.

Judge Dugan's courtroom

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Her attorney didn't comment after the hearing and didn't respond to messages from FOX6.

Dugan has served as a circuit court judge since 2016 and won re-election in 2022.

She is due back in federal court on May 15.

Editor's note: A previous version of this story said Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was scheduled to appear before Dugan in a county felony battery case. It is actually a misdemeanor battery case.