OAN Staff James Meyers
9:17 AM – Thursday, May 15, 2025
The Wisconsin judge accused of assisting an illegal alien evade U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) pleaded “not guilty” in a Wisconsin courtroom on Thursday.
Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan entered the preliminary plea in federal court, as the building was surrounded by protesters in support of Dugan, who has resisted the Trump administration’s crackdown on illegal immigration.
The 66-year-old judge’s plea comes after being accused of obstruction of justice and concealing Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from federal law enforcement.
Dugan has been accused of helping Flores-Ruiz, who is also accused of domestic battery, escape out of her courtroom and encouraged him to use an exit to evade ICE agents who were there to arrest him.
On Tuesday a federal grand jury indicted her on those charges, while Florez-Ruiz is currently in custody at an immigration detention center.
Meanwhile, she has denied any wrongdoing in the case, with her defense team pleading to have the charges dropped, arguing that Dugan is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts.
Additionally, the judge’s lawyers requested a speedy trial during Thursday’s hearing, which only lasted all of five minutes.
The arrest has caused outrage from Democrats, with protesters outside the courtroom flashing signs that read, “Free Judge Dungan,” as they also criticized the mass deportations under President Donald Trump.
The judge’s trial is set for July 21st.
Dugan faces two charges that have a maximum penalty of six years in prison along with a $350,000 fine.
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