On Thursday, May 15, 2025, The New Republic reported that Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan is leveraging a Supreme Court ruling on presidential immunity to defend against federal obstruction charges. Dugan was indicted for allegedly aiding an immigrant in evading federal authorities.

The charges, filed on May 13, 2025, include two counts of obstruction: one for concealing a person from arrest and another for obstructing federal proceedings. Court documents allege that on April 18, 2025, Dugan directed Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national charged with misdemeanor battery, through a side door of her courtroom to avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Flores-Ruiz, accompanied by his attorney, passed through a public hallway, past federal agents, and was apprehended after a brief foot chase outside the courthouse.

In a seven-page motion to dismiss filed on May 14, 2025, Dugan’s legal team argued that she is protected by judicial immunity for actions taken in her official capacity. They cited the Supreme Court’s decision in *Trump v. United States*, which grants immunity for official acts and bars scrutiny of motives.

The motion asserts that Dugan’s actions, such as directing individuals in her courtroom, fall within her judicial authority, making her immune from prosecution. “The government cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts,” the motion stated, emphasizing that immunity is an absolute bar to prosecution.

Federal authorities claim Dugan’s actions hindered a lawful arrest. Flores-Ruiz, previously deported in 2013, had illegally reentered the U.S. and faced domestic violence charges in Milwaukee County.

Attorney General Pam Bondi described Dugan’s arrest as part of a broader effort to address judicial interference with federal immigration enforcement.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court suspended Dugan from the bench in late April, citing the need to maintain public confidence in the judiciary. Dugan pleaded not guilty during her arraignment on May 15, 2025, with a trial scheduled for July 2025.

 

 

Source: The New Republic