Milwaukee County Judge Dugan trial: How did we get here?

The case against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan centers on one of the country's most fraught issues, immigration.

MILWAUKEE - The case against Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan centers on one of the country's most fraught issues, immigration.

How did we get here?

The backstory:

It was April 18, 2025, and outside the courtroom of Judge Dugan, federal agents from ICE, the FBI and other agencies said they were there to arrest a defendant after his hearing. That man is Eduardo Flores Ruiz, who had already been kicked out of the country in 2013.

Federal prosecutors said Judge Dugan became angry. Prosecutors said she ordered the agents to go talk to Chief Judge Carl Ashley. His office is next to Dugan's courtroom.

Video shows Eduardo Flores-Ruiz at the courthouse on April 18, the day immigration agents arrived to arrest the undocumented man (Image: Milwaukee County)

As agents were inside that office, prosecutors said Dugan went back into her courtroom and brought Flores Ruiz out; not out through a public exit, but a non-public door used for jury members. Surveillance video showed Flores Ruiz leaving the non-public hallway and exiting into a public hallway.

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Federal agents say they chased Flores Ruiz outside and then arrested him. He was at the courthouse for state charges, accused of beating up his roommates. Flores Ruiz has since been deported.

What they're saying:

Four days later, Dugan called 911 to report a potential threat. Milwaukee officers asked if it could be related to any of her cases. She then discussed the case with Flores Ruiz.

"I did not hide this migrant in the jury room or in my chambers. I had him leave out the back door, which I do when the circumstances warrant it. And these are the circumstances that warrant it: I had a room of 30 people. And I just sent him out the door with the public defender."

Judge Hannah Dugan arrested in Milwaukee

Three days after that, the FBI director posted to X a photo of Dugan's arrest.

President Trump said this about Judge Dugan: "Well I think it's horrible. I think the whole thing is horrible with judges. What's going on. They shouldn't be doing that. That's very dangerous territory. And we have to be able to do what I ran on. I ran on a campaign of taking criminals out of our country."

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Both sides get their day in federal court, as they argue over what happened in the Milwaukee County Courthouse.

The Source: Information in this post was produced by FOX6 News.

Judge Hannah Dugan Immigration Milwaukee News

The Brief

How did we get here?