Wisconsin judge convicted of obstructing ICE resigns, vows to keep fighting case

Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted past period of obstructing national agents attempting to apprehension an amerciable immigrant, has resigned from her position.

In a missive to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers connected Saturday, Dugan said the lawsuit against her threatens judicial independency and vowed to support warring it.

"As you know, I americium the taxable of unprecedented national ineligible proceedings, which are acold from concluded but which contiguous immense and analyzable challenges that endanger the independency of our judiciary," she wrote. "I americium pursuing this combat for myself and for our autarkic judiciary. However, the Wisconsin citizens that I cherish merit to commencement the twelvemonth with a justice connected the seat successful Milwaukee County Branch 31 alternatively than person the destiny of that Court remainder successful a partisan combat successful the authorities legislature."

Dugan's resignation is expected to instrumentality effect immediately.

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Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan walks into the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse connected May 15. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A 12-person assemblage recovered Dugan blameworthy connected Dec. 18 of obstructing national migration agents during an effort to service a warrant astatine a courthouse past April.

She was arrested aft prosecutors said she helped Eduardo Flores-Ruiz evade plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempting to service a warrant. Prosecutors said Dugan directed Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to permission her courtroom done a backmost doorway connected April 18, 2025, aft learning ICE agents were successful the gathering to apprehension him.

Dugan pleaded not guilty, and she was acquitted connected a lesser misdemeanor charge.

Attorneys for Dugan filed a question precocious past period indicating they volition question a caller trial.

She faces up to 5 years successful situation connected the felony obstruction count. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman has not acceptable a sentencing date.

Dugan was suspended by the Wisconsin Supreme Court successful April, but continued to cod her astir $175,000 yearly wage portion awaiting trial.

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Milwaukee Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan speaks astatine a pro-Ukraine rally connected Feb. 24, 2025. (Lee Matz/ Milwaukee Independent via AP)

After Dugan's conviction, Wisconsin Republican leaders said they would initiate the impeachment process if she did not resign from her bureau immediately.

Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Assembly Majority Leader Tyler August argued that the authorities Constitution bars immoderate idiosyncratic convicted of a felony from serving successful an "office of trust, nett oregon honor" unless pardoned.

"Wisconsinites merit to cognize their judiciary is impartial and that justness is blind," they said successful a connection past month. "Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege of serving the radical of Wisconsin has travel to an end."

Following the verdict, Dugan's defence squad said they were prepared to support warring to wide her name.

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Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan leaves the national courthouse aft a proceeding connected Thursday, May 15, 2025, successful Milwaukee, Wis.   (Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP)

"While we are disappointed successful today’s outcome, the nonaccomplishment of the prosecution to unafraid convictions connected some counts demonstrates the accidental we person to wide Judge Dugan’s sanction and amusement she did thing incorrect successful this matter," Dugan's defence squad said successful a statement.

They added, "We person planned for this imaginable result and our defence of Judge Dugan is conscionable beginning. This proceedings required sizeable resources to hole for and nationalist enactment for Judge Dugan’s defence money is captious arsenic we hole for the adjacent signifier of this defense."