Hannah Dugan, a 67-year-old former Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, was sentenced on July 8, 2026, to pay a $5,000 fine for felony obstruction related to aiding a Mexican immigrant's evasion of ICE arrest inside a courthouse in April 2025 [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman spared her from prison despite prosecutors' recommendation of 15 to 21 months behind bars [1, 2, 3, 6].

The obstruction occurred on April 18, 2025, when ICE agents attempted to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, who had illegally re-entered the U.S. after deportation in 2013 and was facing misdemeanor battery charges before Judge Dugan [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. Dugan reportedly ordered agents to seek approval from the chief judge’s office, stating their administrative warrant was insufficient, and then helped Flores-Ruiz exit through a private jury door to avoid arrest [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7]. ICE agents later caught and arrested Flores-Ruiz outside after a brief chase [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

Dugan was convicted by a federal jury in December 2025 of felony obstruction but was acquitted of the lesser charge of concealing a person to prevent arrest [1, 2, 3, 6]. Following political pressure and threats of impeachment, she resigned in January 2026 after serving nine years as a Milwaukee County judge [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. She faced death and personal threats that forced her to cease public activities and relocate [1, 3, 4, 5].

Dugan and her legal team argued her actions were intended to maintain courtroom safety and decorum, not for malicious or personal reasons. She said, "My acts that day were consistent with community concerns at the courthouse. My judicial acts were not done with any malicious intent or to advance any personal interests" [1, 2, 3, 6]. Dugan added, "I have been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who’s just trying to do my job" [1].

Judge Adelman cited Dugan’s longstanding law-abiding record, her resignation, the threats she received, and the fact that Flores-Ruiz was ultimately arrested when imposing the fine and withholding prison time. He said, "This is a few minutes of conduct for someone who has dedicated her life to public service. It’s a marked deviation from an otherwise law-abiding life" [1].

Republican lawmakers, including Congressman Tom Tiffany, criticized the sentence and called for imprisonment, with Tiffany bluntly stating, "Lock her up" [1, 3, 4, 5, 7]. Some sources viewed the lack of jail time as undermining the judiciary, while others agreed the sentence was appropriate given the full circumstances [1, 2, 6, 7].

Despite her conviction and resignation, Dugan reportedly plans to return to public service [6].