In case you missed it on Friday, FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of a Milwaukee judge, alleging that she obstructed justice. He posted on Twitter/X that Bureau agents had arrested Judge Hannah Dugan on obstruction charges "after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week." Then came the broad-strokes details: "We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest. Thankfully, our agents chased down the perp on foot and he’s been in custody since, but the Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public." This development triggered apoplectic hysteria from the usual 'resistance' precincts and figures, with leftists rushing to defend the arrested judge and painting the Trump administration as dangerously authoritarian.
If the FBI were arresting judges over adverse rulings, the critics would have a point. But because the FBI appears to have arrested this judge because of her crimes, it would seem that the "Rule of Law" crowd -- who chanted 'no one is above the law' in unison for years about Donald Trump -- has found another asterisk to their "principles." It's the Rules of Law theory in action, again. One set of rules for the Left's enemies, and another set of rules for the Left. Based on the actual law, however, and what's alleged by authorities, several legal experts are saying the arrest looks righteous -- and the judge's lawless actions, if proven, are absolutely illegal. Here is a former Wisconsin prosecutor (now an attorney with the Wisconsin Institution for Law and Liberty) methodically laying out the facts. After noting that the illegal immigrant in question was in court over a violent attack on two people, Dan Lennington offered his analysis, citing court documents:
/3 The ICE agents were there lawfully & w/ the knowledge of Milwaukee County. They announced themselves, connected with officers in the building, & agreed to wait in the hallway outside the courtroom, not interfering with the scheduled hearing. This is very standard & routine. pic.twitter.com/dTZ0tBYYpP
— Dan Lennington (@DanLennington) April 25, 2025
/5 ICE agents, now in the Chief Judge's Chambers, were told he was "not in the building." They were then ushered into another "private area" & found out the Chief Judge was there. With the agents occupied elsewhere, Judge Dugan went back to her courtroom & to Flores-Ruiz. pic.twitter.com/dnnMlesH1H
— Dan Lennington (@DanLennington) April 25, 2025
So this judge apparently threw a conniption fit, berating ICE agents, who were then lied to. These are stunning accusations:
/7 The victims of Flores-Ruiz domestic battery remained in the courtroom, as did the prosecutor. They didn't know what happened and didn't know that the hearing was cancelled by Judge Dugan secreting the defendant out the back jury door. pic.twitter.com/RuVcgf8LFe
— Dan Lennington (@DanLennington) April 25, 2025
The former prosecutor notes that agents then had to engage in a public foot chase with the suspect, which presented an entirely unnecessary risk. His conclusion:
This whole episode is absolutely outrageous. It is very common to execute arrest warrants inside a courthouse, especially by ICE officers. It is safe, controlled, and officers know that the arrestee will be unarmed. By secreting Flores-Ruiz out the back door, Judge Dugan put officers' safety at risk. She also ignored the due process needs of the VICTIMS of his crimes, who were there in the court because of the alleged domestic battery. This violates victims' rights. Judge Dugan has been charged with two federal felony offenses. Obstruction and concealing a fugitive. Each carries 5 years max. She will be indicted by a Grand Jury. Prosecutors should use the process to interview all witnesses, and consider charging a conspiracy. From the facts alleged, it appears many people participated in this plan to obstruct justice. If true, they should all be charged & sentenced to prison. If allowed, this behavior will spread across the country to other judges who oppose federal immigration policy...These facts are from the sworn affidavit of the FBI agent filed in the criminal complaint. They are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
That last emphasized point is important. This isn't some rumor. This is a set of formal allegations laid out by the FBI in a criminal complaint, filed in a sworn affidavit, under penalty of perjury. One of CNN's top legal commentators cut through the politicized huffing and puffing from "progressives," acknowledging that if the accusations are true, they represent "textbook" obstruction of justice. If that's the case, no one is above the law, including law-breaking judges:
CNN's Elie Honig on the charges against the Wisconsin judge for helping an illegal immigrant evade arrest: "Let's strip the politics out of it — this is a crime. If they can prove what happened here, it is a crime ... That is textbook obstruction." pic.twitter.com/6XiuLpE8T4
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 25, 2025
Notice the crowd in that shot. The professional Left always has an instamob ready to drop everything and protest, even (or especially) on behalf of an alleged criminal. And as we've been reminded just recently, yes, law-breaking judges absolutely exist and must be held to account:
Dem Judge Joel Cano banned by New Mexico Supreme Court after alleged Tren de Aragua gang member arrested in his home https://t.co/qNo9csTs70 pic.twitter.com/bf6mwPUjWe
— New York Post (@nypost) April 23, 2025
Pam Bondi with some insane details of the liberal New Mexico judge who was harboring an illegal TDA member.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 25, 2025
She says he smashed the gang member's cellphone which had pictures of two decapitated victims on it and he and his wife gave him assault riflespic.twitter.com/zmIqzLFp9n
As for the Wisconsin case, here are two more observations -- one legal, and one political:
It is not clear if Sen. Klobuchar believes that the officers are lying. If not, she is suggesting that a judge should be allowed (or at least not held accountable) for actively shielding a wanted person and facilitating their evasion of law enforcement. https://t.co/R5mqGBOGm9
— Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) April 26, 2025
You really can’t make this up.
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) April 25, 2025
Last week their crusade was for a confirmed member of MS-13 who beats his wife and was involved in human trafficking.
Apparently this week it’s in defense of judges who openly broke the law. https://t.co/5z43jKCUFz
Let's see how this case proceeds, and how the evidence plays out. I'll leave you with this:
Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, the illegal alien that the Wisconsin judge was shielding, has a violent criminal record with charges including strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse. He illegally entered the U.S. twice.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) April 25, 2025
The American people have a mandate for President… pic.twitter.com/ykjlBoXOEf
UPDATE - A few more:
“Heroic” to illegally aid the escape of this man? https://t.co/CMVMUpKj1q pic.twitter.com/GQM4VT88er
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) April 27, 2025
The only complaint they can come up with is that this judge was arrested like any normal person would have been arrested.
— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) April 26, 2025
That's it. They've got nothing else. https://t.co/LydiQJk54G
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