Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan has been found guilty by a federal jury of obstructing immigration enforcement (ICE) after helping an illegal immigrant evade arrest. The rare and dramatic courtroom conviction that has sent shockwaves through the legal and political landscape. The verdict against Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan marks one of the most high-profile cases in recent memory involving a sitting judge accused of interfering with federal law enforcement.
The case centered on an incident inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse earlier this year when ICE agents arrived to arrest an illegal migrant who was appearing before Judge Dugan on unrelated state charges. Federal prosecutors told jurors that the agents were lawfully present and prepared to take the individual into custody following the Wisconsin immigration hearing. Instead, they said, the judge took deliberate steps to prevent that arrest from happening inside her courthouse.
🚨 BREAKING: A federal judge has just ruled Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, who helped an illegal EVADE ICE, does NOT have immunity, and can be prosecuted
Dugan now faces multiple charges including a felony, and SIX YEARS in prison
NOBODY’S ABOVE THE LAW! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/B3mSVgxrDO
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) August 26, 2025
According to trial testimony, Judge Hannah Dugan became aware that ICE agents were waiting in the hallway outside her courtroom. Rather than allowing the arrest to proceed, prosecutors said she confronted the agents and directed them away from the area, telling them to report to another part of the courthouse. Moments later, she allegedly escorted the illegal alien and his attorney through a restricted jury door not accessible to the public, allowing him to exit the building through a different route.
The illegal immigrant briefly escaped federal custody and fled on foot before being apprehended by ICE agents outside the courthouse after a short chase. While the arrest ultimately took place, prosecutors argued that the temporary escape was not the point. They said Judge Hannah Dugan knowingly interfered with a lawful federal operation and abused her position of authority to do so.
Jurors agreed, returning a guilty verdict on a felony obstruction charge after deliberations. The conviction carries the potential for prison time and effectively ends Judge Dugan’s judicial career. She was acquitted on a separate misdemeanor count, but the felony conviction alone is enough to bar her from serving on the bench under Wisconsin law.
During the trial, federal prosecutors emphasized that no one is above the law, including those tasked with upholding it. They argued that the integrity of the justice system depends on judges following the law rather than selectively enforcing it based on personal or political beliefs. The courtroom, they said, cannot become a sanctuary where federal law is deliberately undermined.
🚨🇺🇸 BREAKING: WISCONSIN JUDGE CONVICTED OF FELONY FOR HELPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT EVADE ICE ARREST
“I’ll do it. I’ll get the heat.”
She got it.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan was convicted Thursday of obstructing an official proceeding, a felony carrying up to five years… pic.twitter.com/qFn9LKTVM2
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 19, 2025
Judge Dugan’s defense team insisted she was acting within her understanding of courthouse procedure and did not intend to obstruct ICE. They argued there was confusion over how to handle the presence of immigration agents and claimed her actions were aimed at maintaining order in the courthouse rather than aiding an escape. The jury ultimately rejected that explanation.
The Hannah Dugan case has reignited national debate over illegal immigration enforcement in courthouses and the growing tension between federal authorities and local officials. Federal officials praised the verdict as a necessary step to uphold the rule of law. They noted that while judges have wide discretion in their courtrooms, that authority does not extend to obstructing federal agents carrying out lawful arrests.
The illegal immigrant at the center of the Hannah Dugan case was later deported by ICE, but the legal fallout for Judge Dugan continues. A sentencing date has not yet been announced, and she remains suspended from her judicial duties. The ICE obstruction conviction stands as a stark reminder of the limits of judicial power and the serious consequences of crossing them.
