US federal grand jury indicts judge for obstructing immigration agents News
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US federal grand jury indicts judge for obstructing immigration agents

A US federal grand jury in Wisconsin indicted Judge Hannah Dugan on Tuesday for obstructing immigration agents. Dugan was arrested last month and is accused of obstructing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and concealing Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, the foreign national ICE agents sought to apprehend in her courtroom. Dugan, who was suspended following her arrest, could serve up to six years in prison if convicted.

The incident occurred on April 18 when Flores-Ruiz was to appear before Dugan in a domestic violence hearing. According to the complaint, once Dugan was alerted to the presence of ICE agents, she became visibly angry and commented that the situation was “absurd.” Dugan then left the bench and confronted ICE agents in the hallway. Dugan ordered one agent to leave the courthouse and told another agent that he needed a judicial warrant. Dugan escorted Flores-Ruiz and his defense counsel out of the courtroom through the jury door into a nonpublic area of the courthouse. Later, Flores-Ruiz and his counsel exited the courthouse. After a foot chase ensued, Flores-Ruiz was apprehended by ICE, the FBI, and Drug Enforcement Administration agents.

This incident comes against the backdrop of deportation efforts by the administration of US President Donald Trump. Some have criticized Dugan’s prosecution as an attempt to intimidate judicial officials, while others praise the efforts for holding everyone, including judges, accountable to the rule of law.

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