Tensions erupted between the judiciary and federal authorities when FBI Director Kash Patel asserted that a US judge had been arrested for impeding an immigration enforcement action. In a Friday post on X, subsequently removed, Patel said Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested for allegedly assisting a defendant in evading federal immigration officials.
Patel said, “Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan from Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction after evidence demonstrated Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week.” He said the judge had knowingly misled federal agents in her courthouse to thwart the arrest of a suspect by the name of Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was portrayed as an undocumented immigrant.
The deleted post said Dugan allegedly escorted Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer through a side door and private corridor, allowing him to escape from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers. “Fortunately our agents pursued the perp on foot and he’s been in custody ever since, but the judge’s obstruction caused greater risk to the public,” Patel added.
But the removal of the post and absence of official confirmation have created doubt regarding Dugan’s status and whether an arrest was made. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated that Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national with three misdemeanor battery charges against him, had appeared in Dugan’s court on April 18 for a scheduling hearing.
ICE agents were said to have arrived early that morning with the intention of arresting Flores-Ruiz. Although authorities have not publicly stated whether the judge was involved, sources indicate that Dugan might have permitted the defendant to leave through another door, making it difficult for the agents.
The FBI has yet to release an official statement about Judge Dugan’s reported arrest, and questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered amidst mounting tensions regarding immigration enforcement.
