Judge Dismisses Allegations Against Milwaukee Judge
A U.S. district judge has rejected allegations made by Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan earlier this year, asserting that he dismissed claims about undocumented immigrants assisting her in evading federal authorities.
Judge Dugan was arrested in April following an incident involving Eduardo Flores Louise, who supposedly aided her in avoiding Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were attempting to serve a warrant.
Her legal representation contended that she deserved judicial immunity for her actions in office. They also claimed that the federal government had overstepped its boundaries by arresting and charging her.
Additionally, her defense argued that the charges infringed upon the Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and contradicted the principle of separation of powers.
US District Judge Lynn Adelman ruled on the matter recently. He stated that the requirements for claiming absolute immunity are significant, noting that it’s up to the defendant to show justification for such immunity in relation to their actions.
In a further development, Dugan’s lawyers asserted that she could only be charged for conduct unrelated to her judicial duties—such as taking bribes or violating residents’ constitutional rights—but they emphasized that she had not been found guilty of either.
Judge Adelman cited that there was no foundation for granting immunity, explaining that some of the prosecution’s claims aligned with what might be considered “part of the judge’s job.” He noted that the allegations involved actions taken under the guise of her judicial role.
Prosecutors also claimed that Dugan helped Flores Lewis and his lawyer leave her courtroom through a back exit on April 18th.
In a related case, a federal judge ruled against Trump-era actions to banish immigrants to Congo amidst ongoing immigration lawsuits, adding another layer to the judicial backdrop in Milwaukee.
The federal complaint against Judge Dugan maintains that she mistakenly demanded a judicial warrant and misdirected a case to the Supreme Court’s office instead of conducting the scheduled hearing, ultimately impacting the status of Flores-Ruiz, who faces several misdemeanor charges.
A hearing addressing Dugan’s allegations is set for September 3. Both federal prosecutors and Dugan’s defense team are expressing hopes for trial proceedings to commence by the year’s end, although no specific trial dates have been established yet.
