Judge’s Bid to Dismiss Immigration Case Fails
A Wisconsin judge, accused of aiding undocumented immigrants, has failed in her attempt to have a federal lawsuit against her dismissed.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman rejected a motion to throw out the case involving Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan. This decision sets the stage for a trial regarding accusations that Dugan obstructed Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. In his ruling, Adelman dismissed Dugan’s argument that she was acting within her judicial role, which she claimed would protect her from prosecution.
Adelman noted that the evidence presented did not warrant any kind of exemption for Dugan. He mentioned that the indictment contains actions that could indeed fall under the responsibilities of a judge, similar to situations where bribery charges could apply if a judge engages in wrongdoing.
Dugan’s legal troubles began when the FBI arrested her in April. The investigation revealed that she allegedly assisted Eduardo Flores Luis, an undocumented immigrant facing violent charges. The indictment claims Dugan obstructed federal agents and concealed individuals to support them in avoiding arrest.
On April 18, when a deportation officer arrived at Milwaukee Court to arrest Flores Luis—who had a scheduled hearing with Dugan—she reportedly guided him and his attorney through a corridor, helping them evade the agent.
It’s stated, “We believe Judge Dugan deliberately misled a federal agent to help the suspect evade arrest. Fortunately, our agent pursued them on foot, but the judge’s obstruction could put the public at risk.”
Following her arrest, Dugan was suspended from her judicial duties by the Wisconsin Supreme Court, which imposed a temporary ban on her responsibilities until further notice. Additionally, a federal court has raised concerns about her alleged support for illegal immigrants.
This incident isn’t the first time the Trump administration pursued legal actions against a judge accused of aiding undocumented individuals. Notably, during Trump’s first term, a similar case occurred involving a Massachusetts judge who faced charges for helping an illegal immigrant escape out a back door to avoid ICE agents waiting in the lobby.
