Former Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was fined $5,000 but received no prison time on Wednesday after a federal jury convicted her of obstructing immigration agents attempting to arrest a Mexican national inside her courthouse.
Lynn Adelman imposed the sentence in federal court in Milwaukee, rejecting federal sentencing guidelines that recommended 15 to 21 months in prison.
Dugan, 67, had faced up to five years behind bars on the felony obstruction charge. She was not sentenced to probation.
Courthouse Incident Led to Federal Charges
The case stemmed from an April 2025 incident in which agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 31-year-old Mexican national who had previously been deported and was accused of illegally re-entering the United States.
Prosecutors said Dugan confronted federal agents outside her courtroom, directed them away, and escorted Flores-Ruiz through a private jury door in an effort to help him avoid arrest.
Agents pursued him outside the courthouse, arrested him after a foot chase, and he was later deported in November 2025.
Dugan resigned from the bench in January 2026 after Republican lawmakers began pursuing impeachment proceedings.
Jury Verdict and Defense Arguments
A federal jury convicted Dugan in December 2025 of one felony count of obstructing a federal proceeding. She was acquitted of a separate misdemeanor charge alleging she concealed an individual to prevent arrest.
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The trial drew national attention as one of the first major legal tests of President Donald Trump‘s expanded immigration enforcement efforts, including arrests at state courthouses.
Federal prosecutors argued Dugan violated her judicial oath by interfering with a lawful immigration operation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said after the verdict that Dugan had “betrayed her oath and the people she served.”
Defense attorneys countered that Dugan acted solely to preserve courtroom safety and decorum. Character witnesses described her as a dedicated public servant, and Dugan told the court during sentencing, “I am a public servant who’s just trying to do my job.”
Public Service and Political Scrutiny
Dugan served as a Milwaukee County circuit judge for nine years. Before joining the bench, she worked with legal aid organizations and served as a chapter leader for Catholic Charities USA.
Court records also noted her involvement with the League of Women Voters, the Milwaukee Turners, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
Republican lawmakers criticized Dugan’s conduct, with Representative Tom Tiffany calling for her imprisonment following her conviction. Her attorneys argued she had already suffered significant consequences through her resignation, public criticism, and personal threats.
Judge Rejects Prison Sentence
In explaining the sentence, Judge Adelman said imprisonment was unnecessary to meet federal sentencing objectives and pointed to Dugan’s long record of public service.
Prosecutors had sought a more severe punishment, arguing that obstruction cases typically result in prison terms averaging about 16 months and that Dugan’s role as a judge made her actions especially serious because they undermined law enforcement inside a courthouse.
Dugan’s legal team said she plans to appeal the conviction. She has also been barred from serving as a judge in Wisconsin.
The case has intensified debate over immigration enforcement at state courthouses and whether judges can face federal criminal charges for actions taken while performing their judicial duties.
Dugan’s attorneys argued she was protected by judicial immunity, but those claims were rejected before trial and again after the verdict.
