Wisconsin Judge Refuses to Hold Court Following Arrest of Fellow Judge by ICE
A judge in Wisconsin has declared that she will not preside over court proceedings in protest of the recent arrest of her colleague, Judge Hannah Dugan.
The announcement follows a wave of Democratic criticism after FBI Director Kash Patel stated Friday that Dugan, who serves as a Milwaukee County Circuit judge, was taken into custody for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant avoid apprehension by U.S. immigration authorities.
In response, Circuit Judge Monica Isham said she would halt her court duties to avoid the possibility of being put in a similar position as Dugan, which she fears could endanger both herself and her staff.
The statement came through an email titled “Guidance Requested or I Refuse to Hold Court,” which was obtained and published in full by Wisconsin Right Now.
“I have been in this position for less than 2 years. I was elected as the first woman, first Native American, first minority all together [sic], to serve as a circuit judge in Sawyer County,” Isham wrote in the message. “I have sworn an Oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin.”
The connection between her historic election and her decision to stop hearing cases is unclear, given her judicial role focuses on upholding the law impartially.
“Yesterday, Judge Hannah Dugan of Milwaukee County stood on her Oath in the very building she swore to uphold it and she was arrested and charged with felonies for it. Enough is enough,” Isham added.
“I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires. Should I start raising bail money?” she wrote.
“I will not put myself or my staff who may feel compelled to help me or my community in harms [sic] way,” she concluded.
Judge Dugan was taken into custody on Friday and is facing charges of obstructing an official proceeding after she allegedly intervened to prevent an ICE arrest, as detailed in a criminal complaint. Fox News also reported that she is accused of concealing a person to avoid their detection and detention.
According to the complaint, federal agents from ICE, the FBI, CBP, and DEA attempted to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national, following his April 18 court appearance on misdemeanor battery charges related to assaults on two individuals.
Dugan allegedly instructed law enforcement to report to the chief judge’s office. Once the hearing ended, she reportedly escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a restricted exit meant for jurors—bypassing the main courthouse area where immigration agents were stationed—thus helping him avoid capture, Fox reported.
The incident comes amid a wider law enforcement sweep. FBI agents also arrested former New Mexico Judge Joel Cano and his wife last week. They are accused of sheltering a known illegal immigrant affiliated with a foreign gang designated as a terrorist group and of supplying him with firearms.
In an interview with Fox News, Attorney General Pam Bondi revealed the extreme measures Cano allegedly took to assist the individual in evading arrest.
“Judge Cano, soon to be former Judge Cano, got, his charges were just unsealed. He’s charged with obstruction. He admitted post-Miranda. He took one of the TDA member’s cell phones, himself, took it, beat it with a hammer, destroyed it, and then walked the pieces to a city dumpster to dispose of it to protect him,” she said.
“He had on his cell phone pictures of two decapitated victims… and he was sending them out and whoever he was sending them to was sending back, ‘Hey, you need to be careful. You shouldn’t be texting these photos out,’” Bondi added.
She also claimed Cano and his wife, Nancy, supplied Cristhian Ortega-Lopez—the alleged gang member—with assault-style firearms believed to belong to their daughter, April Cano.
“This is the last person that we want in our country… nor will we ever tolerate a judge or anyone else harboring them,” Bondi said.