FBI chief orders arrest of judge ‘for shielding migrant'
Hannah Dugan, a Milwaukee county circuit judge, was detained on suspicion of obstructing an immigration arrest operation, Kash Patel, the FBI director, said.
Announcing the arrest on X, Mr Patel wrote: '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.'
'We will have more to share soon. Excellent work @FBIMilwaukee.'
Mr Patel shared the post shortly after 10am local time (3pm UK) but it appeared to have been taken down less than an hour later. He then reshared the message around two hours later.
A spokesperson for the US Marshals Service said Ms Dugan was arrested on Friday at the courthouse.
She appeared briefly in federal court in Milwaukee later on Friday before being released from custody. Her next court appearance is May 15.
Her supporters gathered outside the court holding signs saying 'free Hannah' and chanting: 'No justice, no peace, judge Dugan will be free.'
'Defendant left courtroom through side door'
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel previously reported the FBI had placed Ms Dugan under investigation after allegedly trying to help Mr Ruiz avoid arrest when he was scheduled to appear in her courtroom on April 18.
Carl Ashley, the chief Milwaukee county circuit judge, reportedly confirmed in an email that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents came to the county courthouse on April 18 with an arrest warrant.
Ms Dugan allegedly directed ICE agents to Mr Ashley's office, after which she allowed the defendant to leave the courtroom through a side door, sources told the newspaper.
Ms Dugan described the email as 'inaccurate' at the time. The FBI said: 'As a standard practice, the FBI does not confirm or deny the existence of investigations.'
History of supporting immigrant causes
Ms Dugan has a history of supporting immigrant causes, having previously been a member of the immigration legal services steering committee at Catholic Charities, according to a copy of her CV.
She also attended a Milwaukee vigil in 2019 in support of immigrants and 'Latinx' people where demonstrators waved anti-Trump signs, an image from her Facebook page shows.
The Trump administration has pledged to prosecute local officials who do not comply with his edicts to crack down on immigration.
The president has frequently clashed with district judges over efforts to block his deportation drive.
ICE agents arresting undocumented immigrants in state court has become a frequent point of friction with local authorities, who argue such actions can deter people from entering courthouses.
Ms Dugan is believed to be the first judge to be arrested by ICE agents under the new administration.
During Mr Trump's first term, a local Massachusetts judge was incited by the justice department on charges of obstructing immigration authorities.
The charges were eventually dropped.
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