Former Wisconsin judge spared prison for obstructing ICE arrest of immigrant
The Guardian – US News
theguardian.com
Summary
Hannah Dugan was fined $5,000 for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom to evade ICE (immigration enforcement agency) agents A former Wisconsin judge who was convicted of felony obstruction for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom to evade US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has been spared prison. A federal judge on Wednesday instead fined Judge Hannah Dugan $5,000, citing her otherwise law-abiding life in issuing the sentence. Dugan, 67, was convicted in December. Her lawyers argued during her trial that Donald Trump’s administration sought to “crush” Dugan in an effort to ensure judicial compliance with the ICE strategy of targeting immigrants as they showed up for court hearings. Dugan resigned the Milwaukee county circuit judgeship she had held for nine years in January amid threats of impeachment from Republican state lawmakers who labeled her an activist judge. Two Marquette University law professors spoke on Dugan’s behalf, including a former state supreme court justice and a Jesuit priest who read a statement describing Dugan as a defender of oppressed people and saying he didn’t believe there was a need for punishment. “Hannah models what it means to be a Christian,” Gregory O’Meara said. I am a public servant who’s just trying to do my job,” Dugan said, adding that she had had to retire from public life due to threats against her and her family. A prosecutor then acknowledged that “she has experienced collateral damage because of her conduct,” but said “judges can’t choose to disregard the law.” US District Judge Lynn Adelman then spoke, saying Dugan made a bad decision and that he did not believe prison was necessary. “This is a few minutes of conduct for someone who has dedicated her life to public service,” the judge said. “It’s a marked deviation from an otherwise law-abiding life.” He also noted that Dugan’s actions did not stop the ICE agents from arresting the defendant outside the courthouse. Dugan’s case marked the first time that a state judge in Wisconsin had gone to trial on charges of obstructing immigration agents. On 18 April 2025, immigration officers went to the Milwaukee county courthouse after learning Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, had re-entered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan for a hearing in a state battery case.
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Hannah Dugan was fined $5,000 for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom to evade ICE agents A former Wisconsin judge who was convicted of felony obstruction for ushering a Mexican defendant out of her courtroom to evade US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents has been spared prison. A federal judge on Wednesday instead fined Judge Hannah Dugan $5,000, citing her otherwise law-abiding life in issuing the sentence. Continue reading...
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Published by The Guardian – US News on theguardian.com
