Arrest of a sitting judge ignites controversy
Federal agents arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan on Friday, accusing her of obstructing an immigration arrest by deliberately shielding an undocumented migrant at her courthouse. FBI Director Kash Patel, appointed by President Donald Trump, announced the arrest in a post on X, alleging that Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject” they were attempting to detain.
Patel, who briefly deleted his announcement before reposting it, added, “Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot, and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”
Later that day, Patel posted a photo showing a handcuffed individual being led to an unmarked vehicle, writing, “No one is above the law.” Donald Trump Jr. also amplified the message, captioning a reposted image: “From the bench to the backseat. This is what accountability looks like,” suggesting the person in the photo was Dugan.
Political divide deepens following arrest
The arrest set off an immediate political firestorm, with Democrats condemning the move as authoritarian overreach and Republicans applauding it as a long-overdue crackdown on what they see as activist judges undermining immigration enforcement.
Pam Bondi, the US attorney general overseeing the FBI, defended Dugan’s arrest in a Fox News interview, declaring, “We will find you,” in a stern warning to anyone aiding undocumented migrants. “We’re sending a very strong message today,” she said. “If you are harbouring a fugitive, we don’t care who you are… we will come after you and we will prosecute you.”
Charging documents describe a tense scene at Dugan’s courthouse last Friday. Agents arrived to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national facing misdemeanor charges. According to the complaint, Dugan, “visibly upset and angry,” allegedly ushered Flores-Ruiz out a jury exit to avoid detention.
Appearing in federal court on Friday, Dugan made no public statements. Her attorney, Craig Mastantuono, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “Judge Dugan wholeheartedly regrets and protests her arrest. It was not made in the interest of public safety.”
Clash between judiciary and Trump administration escalates
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between Trump-era immigration hardliners and the judiciary. Over the past several years, federal and state judges have issued rulings blocking or delaying aspects of Trump’s aggressive deportation policies, prompting repeated clashes between the courts and the administration.
Democrats were swift in their denunciations. Congressman Darren Soto called the arrest “third world country dictator type of stuff,” warning on X that “this will be bounced out of court as quick as the rest of their illegal actions.” Speaking on MSNBC, Representative Jamie Raskin accused the Trump administration of launching “an intense assault on judicial independence.”
Republicans, however, rallied behind Patel and the Department of Justice. Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger decried “the corruption and determination of these anti-American activist judges to put illegal aliens ahead of American citizens,” praising the arrest as a necessary stand.
Broader crackdown on undocumented migrants
The controversy surrounding Dugan’s arrest comes amid a broader surge in immigration-related enforcement actions. On Thursday, US media reported that a former magistrate judge in New Mexico and his wife were arrested for allegedly harboring a member of Venezuela’s Tren de Aragua gang.
The Trump administration has also come under fire for defying Supreme Court orders in deportation cases. In one high-profile instance, the administration refused to comply with a ruling requiring the return of Maryland resident Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who had been deported to a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. Attorney General Bondi declared, “He’s not coming back.”
As tensions mount, the Dugan case stands as a flashpoint in a larger battle over immigration, judicial independence, and the limits of executive power in America’s legal system.
