On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan to a $5,000 fine, with no prison time or probation, following her conviction for obstructing federal immigration officers attempting to arrest an illegal immigrant inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
Adelman described Dugan as “a defendant who made a bad decision in the moment” and who “appreciated the wrongfulness of her conduct,” but noted the incident was “a few minutes of conduct for a person that has dedicated her life in service to the needy.”
Dugan, 67, faced up to five years in prison for felony obstruction. Prosecutors sought a sentence of 15 to 21 months under federal guidelines, while her attorneys requested no additional jail time.
The case stems from an April 18, 2025, incident at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, when ICE agents arrived to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who had reentered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan on state battery charges.
According to evidence, Dugan confronted the agents in a courthouse hallway, questioned the validity of their administrative warrant, and directed them to the chief judge’s office. After the agents left, she led Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out a private jury door and restricted exit. Agents later spotted Flores-Ruiz, pursued him on foot outside the courthouse, and took him into custody. Flores-Ruiz was later deported.
A federal jury in December 2025 convicted Dugan of felony obstruction of a federal immigration proceeding but acquitted her on a related misdemeanor charge of concealing an individual from arrest. U.S. District Judge Adelman upheld the conviction in June 2026 after Dugan sought a new trial.
Dugan served as a Milwaukee County circuit judge after her 2016 election and was known for her focus on progressive priorities. Following the ICE incident, some Republican legislators considered impeachment proceedings, as she was an activist judge who prioritized undocumented immigrants over law enforcement.
She resigned her judgeship in January 2026, citing the federal prosecution and concerns about judicial independence. Dugan’s attorneys have indicated they plan to appeal the conviction to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The light sentence drew immediate criticism, with those arguing it exemplified two-tiered justice, in which officials who interfere with federal immigration enforcement receive minimal accountability compared to ordinary citizens.
