Wisc Judge Resigns After Conviction for Helping Illegal Alien Escape Arrest

A Wisconsin judge has stepped down in disgrace after a federal jury convicted her of deliberately helping an illegal immigrant evade arrest inside a Milwaukee courthouse—an extraordinary case that has reignited national debate over judicial activism and immigration enforcement.

Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan resigned Saturday, submitting her resignation to Democratic Gov. Tony Evers just as Republican lawmakers were preparing impeachment proceedings, according to the Associated Press. A spokesperson for Evers confirmed receipt of the resignation and said the governor will move swiftly to appoint a replacement. Dugan was convicted by a federal jury on Dec. 19 of felony obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors said the case stemmed from an April incident in which Dugan confronted federal immigration officers who were attempting to arrest Eduardo Flores Ruiz, a 31-year-old Mexican national, inside the courthouse. Flores Ruiz had illegally reentered the United States and was facing a state battery charge at the time.

According to trial testimony, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived at the Milwaukee County courthouse to take Flores Ruiz into custody. Dugan allegedly challenged the agents outside her courtroom, insisting their administrative warrant was insufficient and directing them to speak with the chief judge.

After the agents stepped away, prosecutors said Dugan escorted Flores Ruiz and his attorney out of the courtroom through a private rear door typically reserved for jurors. Agents later encountered Flores Ruiz in a hallway, pursued him outside the building, and arrested him following a brief chase. Federal officials deported Flores Ruiz in November.

In her resignation letter, Dugan condemned the prosecution as “unprecedented,” claiming it created “immense and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary.”

Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos welcomed the resignation, citing constitutional accountability.

“I’m glad Dugan did the right thing by resigning and followed the clear direction from the Wisconsin Constitution,” Vos said.

Democrats, however, rushed to Dugan’s defense. Ann Jacobs, chair of the Wisconsin Elections Commission board, praised the disgraced judge in a social media post.

“Despite her situation, she is ever the champion of justice, wanting to remove the judiciary from a political battle over her fate,” Jacobs wrote.

The conviction followed roughly six hours of jury deliberations in federal court in Milwaukee, Fox News reported. While Dugan was acquitted on a separate misdemeanor count of concealing an individual to prevent arrest, the jury found her guilty on the more serious felony obstruction charge. She now faces up to five years in federal prison, though a sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

Federal prosecutors argued that Dugan’s actions went far beyond maintaining courtroom decorum, alleging she knowingly interfered with a lawful immigration arrest by delaying officers and secretly ushering the defendant out of the courtroom.

Dugan’s defense team claimed she was acting within her judicial authority and following courthouse protocols to ensure safety and order, not attempting to shield Flores Ruiz. The jury ultimately rejected that defense with respect to the felony charge.

The case has become a flashpoint for conservatives who argue that some judges are abusing their positions to advance ideological agendas—particularly on immigration—at the expense of the rule of law.