US judge found guilty of helping migrant evade immigration agents

December 19, 2025

A Milwaukee County Circuit Judge, Hannah Dugan, has been convicted of obstruction after directing a Mexican national facing battery charges out of her courtroom through a private exit while immigration officers waited to arrest him in April. Although she was found guilty of obstruction, the jury acquitted her on a second charge of concealing a person from arrest. The individual she attempted to help, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, was ultimately apprehended and deported despite her intervention.

Who is affected

Judge Hannah Dugan (faces up to five years in prison)
Eduardo Flores-Ruiz (Mexican national who was arrested and deported)
Flores-Ruiz's lawyer (was directed to exit with his client)
Federal law enforcement officers from FBI, ICE, and DEA (whose arrest operation was obstructed)
The Trump administration (views this as a policy win)
Milwaukee County Circuit Court system

What action is being taken

The Trump administration is deploying ICE agents to several US cities as part of a crackdown on illegal migration
Dugan's legal team is maintaining her innocence and working to clear her name

Why it matters

This case represents a significant intersection of judicial authority and federal immigration enforcement, establishing legal precedent about the limits of judicial discretion when federal law enforcement operations are underway. The conviction sends a message about accountability for public officials who interfere with immigration enforcement, which aligns with the current administration's priorities on immigration policy. It also highlights ongoing tensions between local court systems and federal immigration authorities, particularly regarding how immigrant defendants are treated in state court proceedings.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article (beyond the fact that a sentencing date has not yet been set for Judge Dugan).

Read full article from source: BBC