A Wisconsin judge has stepped down from the bench after a federal conviction for obstructing the arrest of an undocumented immigrant in her courtroom. The case, which drew national attention, culminated in the resignation of Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan.
A Conviction and Immediate Political Pressure
Hannah Dugan was convicted on 19 December 2025 on a charge of obstruction. The conviction stemmed from an incident in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and FBI agents attempted to detain an undocumented man, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who was attending a hearing in her courtroom. According to the indictment, Judge Dugan confronted the officers waiting outside and directed them to the chief judge's office.
While the agents were diverted, Dugan informed the man's attorney that his client could attend his next hearing remotely via Zoom. She then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer through a private jury room door. Agents later spotted Flores-Ruiz, arrested him after a brief foot chase, and he was subsequently deported after being sentenced for illegal re-entry.
The Resignation and a Defence of Judicial Independence
Facing immediate calls to resign from Wisconsin Republicans, who threatened impeachment proceedings, Dugan submitted her resignation in a letter to Democratic Governor Tony Evers on Saturday. In her correspondence, she framed her legal battle as a defence of the judiciary's independence from political interference.
"I am the subject of unprecedented federal legal proceedings, which are far from concluded but which present immense and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary," Dugan wrote. She added that the citizens of Milwaukee deserved to start the new year with a permanent judge in Branch 31, rather than leaving the court's fate to a "partisan fight" in the state legislature.
Mixed Reactions and the Path Forward
The reaction to her resignation split along predictable political lines. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos applauded the move, stating he was "glad Dugan did the right thing by resigning and followed the clear direction from the Wisconsin constitution."
Conversely, Democrat Ann Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission, expressed sympathy. She agreed that Milwaukee needed a settled judge while Dugan's defence team appeals her conviction. "Despite her situation, she is ever the champion of justice, wanting to remove the judiciary from a political battle over her fate," Jacobs remarked.
The case continues to resonate as a flashpoint in the ongoing national debate over immigration enforcement, the limits of federal authority, and the perceived sanctity of state courtrooms.
