Judge upholds conviction of fellow judge for hindering ICE operation

A federal judge opted to uphold a previous ruling against a Milwaukee judge convicted of obstructing federal agents during an Immigration operation last April. Former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, back in April 2025, helped illegal immigrant Eduardo Flores-Ruiz evade immigration officers with a warrant for his arrest. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman declined Dugan’s request to overturn her December conviction on Tuesday, allowing the ruling to stand.

How did the judge help the migrant avoid officials? Homeland Security officers identified Flores-Ruiz as a noncitizen illegally present in the country, and obtained a warrant for arrest after confirming his identity via fingerprints. At the time, he also faced three domestic abuse charges and was scheduled to appear in court for a hearing on those separate charges. Federal agents planned to wait outside the courtroom and arrest Flores-Ruiz after the hearing.

Dugan, who was handling Flores-Ruiz’s domestic charges, caught wind of the federal officers waiting outside her chambers. She stopped her court proceedings to approach them. Dugan appeared visibly angry while leading the court and while addressing officers in the hallway, according to witness accounts included in the federal affidavit. A courtroom deputy told ICE agents in the hall that Dugan was pushing through Flores-Ruiz’s case.

After Flores-Ruiz’s casework was finished, the defendant and his attorney turned to leave the courtroom through the public exit. But, despite being informed of the active warrant, Dugan called the pair back and ushered them through the jury box exit, leading them to a nonpublic area of the courthouse, according to federal court documents.

Agents later saw Flores-Ruiz and his attorney in a public hallway and followed the pair outside, where FBI agents attempted to arrest the illegal immigrant. Agents identified themselves while approaching Flores-Ruiz. He led officers in a foot chase before eventually being caught.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in WORLD Magazine about immigration officials showing up at courthouses as a means of fast-tracking immigrant removals.