Former Wisconsin Judge Spared Prison For Obstructing Immigration Arrest At Courthouse

Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan has been spared a situation condemnation aft being convicted of obstructing national agents, receiving a $5,000 good instead.

The national judge cited her different law-abiding life successful issuing nan condemnation connected Wednesday.

Dugan, 67, was recovered guilty of felony obstruction successful December.

Her ineligible squad contended during her proceedings that nan Trump management had sought to "crush" Dugan successful an effort to enforce judicial compliance pinch nan U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) strategy of targeting immigrants astatine tribunal hearings.

Dugan resigned from her Milwaukee County circuit judgeship successful January, a position she had held for 9 years, amidst threats of impeachment from Republican authorities lawmakers who branded her an "activist judge."

In her resignation letter, she asserted that her prosecution threatened "the independency of our judiciary."

Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a staunch Trump loyalist, publically urged authorities to "lock her up" successful a societal media station pursuing her conviction.

During nan sentencing, 2 Marquette University rule professors, including a erstwhile authorities Supreme Court justness and a Jesuit priest, said successful her defense.

The priest, Gregory O'Meara, publication a connection describing Dugan arsenic a defender of oppressed group and expressed his belief that reward was unnecessary. "Hannah models what it intends to beryllium a Christian," he said.

Addressing nan court, Dugan stated she had ever strived to do her champion arsenic a judge, and that her actions successful April 2025 were not malicious but alternatively an effort to support nan "decorum and information of nan courtroom."

She added, "I person been formed arsenic some a scofflaw and a hero. I americium neither. I americium a nationalist servant who's conscionable trying to do my job," noting she has had to discontinue from nationalist life owed to threats against her and her family.

A charismatic acknowledged that "she has knowledgeable collateral harm because of her conduct," but emphasized that "judges can't take to disregard nan law."

U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, successful delivering nan sentence, agreed that Dugan made a mediocre determination but deemed situation unnecessary.

"This is simply a fewer minutes of behaviour for personification who has dedicated her life to nationalist service," nan judge stated. "It’s a marked deviation from an different law-abiding life."

He besides pointed retired that Dugan's actions yet did not forestall ICE agents from arresting nan suspect extracurricular nan courthouse.

While jurors convicted her of felony obstruction, they acquitted her of concealing an individual to forestall arrest, a misdemeanor charge.

Prosecutors had pushed for a "serious sentence," arguing successful a sentencing memo that Dugan violated her judicial oath and endangered some rule enforcement and nan public.

"Judges are entrusted pinch tremendous discretion, but location is simply a statement they cannot cross," Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Frohling wrote. "The suspect crossed that line."

Dugan’s attorneys countered that she had been "punished enough," citing her resignation and threats of violence.

They based on she should not look immoderate further jailhouse clip beyond nan azygous time she had already spent successful national custody.

Federal sentencing guidelines suggested 15 to 21 months down bars, though nan judge was not bound by these recommendations.

Prosecutors noted nan mean condemnation for obstruction cases is 16 months but did not urge a circumstantial term.

Dugan's attorneys person announced plans to record an appeal.

This lawsuit marked nan first lawsuit successful Wisconsin wherever a authorities judge faced proceedings connected charges of obstructing migration agents.

The incident occurred connected April 18, 2025, erstwhile migration officers arrived astatine nan Milwaukee County courthouse aft learning Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 31, who had reentered nan state illegally, was scheduled to look earlier Dugan for a authorities artillery case.

Dugan confronted nan agents, directing them to nan main judge's agency and asserting their administrative warrant was insufficient for Flores-Ruiz's arrest.

After nan agents departed, she led Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer retired done a backstage assemblage door.

Agents subsequently spotted Flores-Ruiz successful nan corridor, pursued him outside, and arrested him aft a ft chase. A week later, FBI agents arrested Dugan astatine nan courthouse, starring her retired successful handcuffs. Flores-Ruiz was deported successful November.