Justice Department draws important line in sand with activist judges bent on thwarting ICE

Photo credit: The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

The Justice Department filed charges against, and the FBI arrested, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan for her conduct last week in obstructing federal agents attempting to arrest a man on an ICE detainer.

The man, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, 30, a Mexican national, had been deported in 2013, but had illegally returned to the U.S. at some unknown point. Ruiz had subsequently been charged in Milwaukee County with a domestic assault that occurred in 2025. 

ICE agents investigated and issued an administrative warrant, known as an ICE detainer, to take Ruiz into federal custody. Once in custody, Ruiz would be brought before an immigration court and given due process in determining whether he would be deported.

On Friday, April 18, Ruiz was to appear before Judge Dugan on his domestic assault case. Federal agents went to the Milwaukee courthouse, identified themselves with sheriff’s office personnel and explained they were there to arrest Ruiz following his hearing. The agents waited in the public corridor of the courthouse, which is a common procedure.

According to the criminal complaint against her, Judge Dugan was made aware of the presence of the federal agents. She suspended her hearings and went with another judge to confront the agents. Judge Dugan was visibly angry and directed the agents to the Chief Judge’s office. 

Judge Dugan then returned to her courtroom and directed Ruiz and his attorney to follow her. She then escorted Ruiz and his attorney to a back hallway reserved for juries and court staff. Because of the judge’s conduct, Ruiz was able to leave the courthouse without coming in contact with the federal agents.

The state’s attorney in the courtroom for Ruiz’s domestic case was not even made aware that Judge Dugan had “adjourned” Ruiz’s hearing until all the other cases had been heard that morning.

The federal agents, upon learning that Ruiz had left the courtroom, had to scramble to locate him. They found Ruiz outside the courthouse and as they approached him, he led them on a foot chase. The agents eventually caught Ruiz and arrested him, but the entire episode, which easily could have resulted in injury to the agents or Ruiz, was completely preventable had Judge Dugan not interfered.

Judge Dugan’s actions were reprehensible. She allowed her personal and political opinions about immigration matters to interfere with the legitimate and legal work being carried out by the federal agents.

The arrest and charging of Judge Dugan are exactly what is needed to snap seemingly intelligent people out of their fog and send an important message to others to stay in their lanes. 

The United States not only has the right, but it also has the responsibility to enforce its immigration laws. Local judges and other officials have no right to interfere with this enforcement through judicial activism or the implementation of “sanctuary” policies.