Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan Convicted: Obstruction Verdict in Trump Immigration Clash

A federal jury in Wisconsin has found Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan guilty of felony obstruction, marking a significant victory for the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts. The verdict, delivered late Thursday, concludes a four-day trial that has inflamed tensions between the federal government and the judiciary.

Jury Finds Judge Guilty of Felony Obstruction

After deliberating for six hours, the jury returned a split verdict:

• Guilty: The jury convicted Dugan of obstruction of proceedings, a felony charge that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.
• Acquitted: The jury found her not guilty on a separate misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual to prevent arrest.

Sentencing Status: U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman has not yet scheduled a sentencing date. Dugan remains free pending sentencing.

Defense Reaction: Dugan’s lead attorney, Steve Biskupic, expressed visible disappointment outside the courtroom. He questioned the logic of the split verdict, given the similarity between the elements of both charges, and vowed to appeal. “I would just say the case is a long way from over,” Biskupic stated.

Case Details: The Incident on April 18

Prosecutors built their case around an incident on April 18, 2025, involving Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 31-year-old unauthorized immigrant scheduled to appear before Dugan for a state battery case.

• The Confrontation: Upon learning that plainclothes ICE agents were waiting in the public hallway to arrest Flores-Ruiz, Dugan exited her courtroom to confront them. According to testimony, she falsely informed the agents that their administrative warrant was insufficient for an arrest and directed them to the Chief Judge’s office down the hall.
• The “Escape Route”: While agents followed her directive, Dugan returned to her courtroom. She handled Flores-Ruiz’s case off the record, instructed his attorney that future hearings could be held via Zoom, and then personally led them out a private back door reserved for jury use.
• The Arrest: The maneuver failed to secure Flores-Ruiz’s freedom. Agents spotted him in a different corridor and, after a foot chase, arrested him outside the courthouse.
• Deportation: Flores-Ruiz pleaded guilty to illegal reentry in September, and the Department of Homeland Security deported him on November 13, 2025.

Key Testimony and Evidence

The prosecution presented a narrative of intentional interference:

• Audio Recordings: Prosecutors played courtroom audio in which Dugan tells her court reporter she would “take the heat” for her actions.
• Judicial Testimony: In a damaging moment for the defense, Judge Kristela Cervera, a colleague of Dugan’s, testified that she was “shocked” by Dugan’s behavior, stating, “Judges shouldn’t help defendants evade arrest.”
• Defense Argument: The defense argued Dugan was following chaotic and “unsettled” courthouse protocols regarding immigration agents. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett testified as a character witness, calling Dugan “extremely honest.”

Administration Reaction & Political Fallout

Legal experts widely view the case as a proxy battle in the larger conflict between local jurisdictions and federal immigration crackdowns.

• Prosecution’s Stance: U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel denied the prosecution was politically motivated. “The defendant is certainly not evil. Nor is she a martyr for some greater cause,” Schimel told reporters. He emphasized that courthouse arrests are safer because security personnel screen individuals for weapons.
• Federal Response: U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche praised the verdict on social media, asserting that “nobody is above the law, even judges.”
• Broader Context: This conviction follows aggressive rhetoric from FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, who had publicly supported Dugan’s arrest in April as part of a broader strategy to deter judicial opposition to immigration enforcement.

The conviction sets a rare precedent for holding a sitting judge criminally liable for actions taken in the course of their official duties, a point legal experts expect to be central to the upcoming appeal.

Related Reads: 

• Judge Convicted of Obstructing Agents as They Sought Undocumented Immigrant 
• Wisconsin judge convicted of obstruction after shielding unauthorized immigrant from federal agents 
• www.wpr.org