Judge sentenced to fine and probation for obstructing ICE arrest

A federal judge sentenced former Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan on Wednesday to a $5,000 fine and one year of probation after a jury convicted her of obstructing a federal immigration arrest. The sentence came more than six months after the conviction on a felony count of obstructing a government proceeding.

Prosecutors had asked for prison time between 15 and 21 months, arguing the case required a serious consequence to deter interference with federal officers.

Background of the incident The case stems from an April 2025 hearing in Milwaukee County court. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz on an administrative warrant. Flores-Ruiz had re-entered the United States illegally after a 2013 deportation and faced misdemeanor battery charges.

Prosecutors said Dugan directed the agents to the chief judge's office, told them the warrant was insufficient, then led Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer out a private jury door. Agents pursued and arrested Flores-Ruiz outside after a brief foot chase through traffic.

Sentencing arguments U.S.

District Judge Lynn Adelman said Dugan made a bad decision in the moment but had otherwise led a law-abiding life. He noted her decades of public service and the fact that the agents ultimately completed the arrest. Dugan told the court she had been trying to maintain courtroom decorum and safety.

She said she had been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero but was simply a public servant doing her job. " — U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, July 8, 2026 (The Washington Times) Prosecutors argued that using judicial authority to obstruct federal agents warranted prison time.

Dugan's lawyers countered that she had already lost her position, received a felony conviction, and faced threats that forced her to relocate.