FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the arrest of Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan on obstruction charges after she allegedly directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers away from an illegal immigrant, enabling him to evade arrest.
Patel shared the news on X, stating, “Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction.” Dugan was arrested after allegedly interfering with a federal immigration arrest within her courtroom.
Dugan made her initial appearance in Milwaukee federal court on Friday, where U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Dries ordered her release after prosecutors did not seek her detention, according to her court records. Dugan is accused of obstructing a federal proceeding and aiding Mexico native Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented immigrant, to avoid arrest. She faces a maximum of six years in prison.
The FBI arrested Dugan, and she was placed in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. A USMS spokesperson confirmed her arrest around 8:30 a.m. local time near the Milwaukee County Courthouse. She was subsequently transferred into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
The charges against Dugan stem from an April 18 incident, where ICE agents arrived at the courthouse with a warrant for Flores-Ruiz’s arrest. The FBI began investigating whether Dugan played a role in helping the immigrant evade capture. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dugan allegedly helped the immigrant leave the courthouse for roughly 22 minutes before he was apprehended by immigration officials. Patel remarked that Dugan’s actions “created increased danger to the public.”
The criminal complaint, a 13-page document made public on Friday, outlines Dugan’s conduct. It alleges that she directed officers away from Flores-Ruiz and escorted him through a back door meant for jurors and in-custody defendants. Dugan reportedly became “visibly angry” when she learned of the agents waiting to arrest Flores-Ruiz. She allegedly instructed the officers to report to the chief judge and falsely claimed a judicial warrant was needed for the arrest.
While the officers complied, Dugan expedited Flores-Ruiz’s hearing and took him and his attorney through a private corridor to avoid detention. Once authorities realized the immigrant had escaped, they scrambled to locate him outside the courthouse.
Federal agents eventually spotted Flores-Ruiz near a flagpole, identified themselves, and ordered him to stop. Flores-Ruiz then fled, prompting agents to chase him until he was apprehended near W. State Street and 10th Street, where he was handcuffed.
Patel initially posted the arrest announcement on X at 10:11 a.m. Eastern time, but it was later removed and reposted at 12:11 p.m. The second post was identical to the first, confirming that Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested,” enabling the illegal immigrant to evade arrest.
The U.S. Marshals confirmed more information on Dugan’s case would be released in the future.