A judge in Milwaukee has been arrested by the FBI for allegedly helping a man escape from immigration authorities. This has raised tensions between the Trump administration and the courts over immigration enforcement.
Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested on Friday after she was accused of misleading federal agents who were trying to arrest a man at her courthouse. FBI Director Kash Patel shared the news on social media, saying, “Our agents chased down the person and caught him, but the Judge’s actions put the public in danger,” according to the Associated Press (AP). Patel later deleted his post.
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Dugan briefly appeared in court on the same day and was released. Her next hearing is scheduled for May 15.
Her lawyer, Craig Mastantuono, defended the judge in court, saying, “Judge Dugan regrets her arrest and believes it was not in the interest of public safety.” He did not provide any further comments when approached by the AP.
This incident is part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to investigate local officials who are seen as blocking federal immigration actions. In January, the Justice Department told prosecutors to look into bringing charges against state and local officials who stop federal immigration operations.
The details of the case against Judge Dugan have not been fully revealed, and the Justice Department has not commented yet. Efforts by AP to reach the Milwaukee County Courts and Chief Judge Carl Ashley for a statement were unsuccessful.
Judge Dugan was elected to the Milwaukee County Court in 2016 and has worked in both probate and civil law. Before becoming a judge, she worked with Legal Action of Wisconsin and the Legal Aid Society. She earned her law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1987.
