Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who allegedly helped illegal migrant evade authorities, pleads not guilty in first federal court appearance
The Wisconsin judge who allegedly helped an illegal migrant evade immigration authorities pleaded not guilty through her attorney on Thursday.
Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan entered the preliminary plea in federal court, which was surrounded by a swarm of protesters supporting the judge, who has become a symbol of resistance against the Trump administration's immigration policy.
Dugan was arrested last month after being accused of obstruction of justice and concealing Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz from federal law enforcement.
Advertisement
3 Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is seen entering the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse on May 15, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wis.
Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
3 People gather during a demonstration in support of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan at the Federal Courthouse in Milwaukee on May 15, 2025.
Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
3 Protesters seen outside the courthouse.
Mike De Sisti / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
She is accused of rushing Flores-Ruiz, who is accused of domestic battery, out of her courtroom and encouraging him to use an exit that is not usually available to the public to help him evade immigration agents who were there to bust him.
Advertisement
She has denied wrongdoing in the case.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Associated Press
36 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Mexico's security chief says drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's most powerful drug cartels are recruiting former Colombian soldiers, leading Mexico to turn away dozens of Colombians trying to enter the country in recent weeks, Mexico's security chief said Tuesday. Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch's comments followed the arrest last week of 12 Colombians in the western state of Michoacan in connection with a mine attack that killed eight Mexican soldiers. Through contact with Colombian authorities, García Harfuch said that nine of the 12 individuals were former soldiers and the remaining three were civilians with weapons training. Close underworld ties have long existed between organized crime groups in Mexico and Colombia. For many years, Colombian drug traffickers produced cocaine and heroin and moved it themselves by boat or plane to the United States. Later, as U.S. authorities cracked down on trafficking in the Caribbean, Mexican cartels' power grew as they moved Colombian drugs over land and via small plane to the U.S. border and smuggled them across. Decades of internal conflict in Colombia have produced tens of thousands of former soldiers, paramilitaries and guerrillas with weapons training and combat experience. Colombians have been hired guns in the 2021 assassination of Haiti President Jovenel Moïse and in the ongoing war in Ukraine. In recent weeks, Mexican immigration authorities rejected 69 Colombians trying to enter Mexico, some of whom in interviews said 'they had been coopted by some criminal group.' García Harfuch said Tuesday that both the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels were recruiting Colombians. Colombia's ambassador to Mexico, Fernando García, said last week that he feared the arrests would negatively impact ongoing negotiations with Mexico to reduce the number of Colombians prevented from entering the country at Mexican airports. In March, the Colombian government had said that talks with Mexico were progressing with mechanisms for Mexico and Colombia to verify information about those seeking to enter Mexico. In October 2023, Mexican authorities arrested eight Colombians also in Michoacan state, who allegedly were helping to make explosives dropped by cartel drones. Former soldiers from other countries have worked with Mexican cartels too. More than a decade ago, the fearsome Zetas, whose leaders came from Mexico's military, recruited former members of Guatemala's special forces Kaibiles in their ranks. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at
CNBC
36 minutes ago
- CNBC
GM to invest $4 billion in U.S. manufacturing plants amid tariffs
DETROIT — General Motors plans to invest $4 billion in several American plants, including adding production of two popular Chevrolet vehicles that are currently built in Mexico. The Detroit automaker announced the plans Tuesday, as there have been few indications of progress in trade talks between the Trump administration and Mexican leaders. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump implemented 25% tariffs on imported vehicles and 25% tariffs on many auto parts imported into the U.S. GM said the investments add assembly of the Chevrolet Blazer and Chevrolet Equinox that are currently produced in Mexico to two other plants in the U.S. and convert a large idled plant in Michigan — formerly expected to build all-electric trucks — to make gas-powered vehicles. The investment and moves will likely be hailed as a win for Trump's policies and automotive tariffs, which took effect for imported vehicles in April and many auto parts in May. "We believe the future of transportation will be driven by American innovation and manufacturing expertise," said GM CEO Mary Barra said in a release. "Today's announcement demonstrates our ongoing commitment to build vehicles in the U.S and to support American jobs. We're focused on giving customers choice and offering a broad range of vehicles they love." GM has been analyzing its North American production footprint for months amid the tariffs, with executives saying they weren't going to make any decisions — instead taking a "wait and see" approach — until they got further clarity on the regulatory environment, including the auto levies. GM CFO Paul Jacobson said late last month during a Bernstein investor event that the tariffs wouldn't probably be "as bad as the market reacted to." He said potential trade deals with other countries and the automaker's ability to mitigate some costs of the tariffs were promising signs. The Detroit automaker previously said it expected to be able to offset between 30% and 50% of the North American tariffs without deploying any capital in the short-term. GM CEO Mary Barra during the Bernstein event said the company is "going to see us be very resilient and, again, strengthen our business as we move forward — in some cases, seize opportunities where the vehicles are so successful." Those opportunities now appear to include pulling back additional spending on electric vehicles. The Orion Assembly plant in suburban Detroit, which will be retooled for gas products, was expected to be its second EV-exclusive plant in the U.S.
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Democrats rage against Trump's moves in LA, as some worry about optics
Leading Democrats are downplaying concerns over potential political fallout to forcefully challenge President Trump's intervention in Los Angeles protests over his administration's immigration raids. California's powerful Democratic delegation hammered the president Tuesday, portraying him as an autocrat who's hell-bent on undermining America's foundational role as a country of immigrants. Leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), who staged an emergency strategy call on Sunday night, are demanding an investigation into the administration's forceful intervention. And top Democratic leaders in both chambers are accusing Trump of waging a war on non-white immigrants — trampling on democratic conventions and human rights in the process. 'This isn't about law and order or protecting public safety. Donald Trump wants conflict and violence,' Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, told reporters in the Capitol. 'House Democrats stand on the side of peaceful protests and condemn the violence that Donald Trump is rooting for.' The assertive strategy has plenty of risks. While standing up to Trump is sure to inspire Democratic base voters furious with the president and unhappy with their own party's resistance so far, some of the clashes in Los Angeles have been violent. Incendiary images coming out of L.A. — including burning cars and protestors waving Mexican flags — are likely to alienate more moderate voters in purple battleground regions where Democrats in both chambers need gains next year to win back power in Congress. Those images, some Democrats warn, are playing right into the hands of Trump. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who frequently clashes with fellow Democrats, said L.A. has descended into 'anarchy' and chided his party for not pushing back against the violent incidents more forcefully. 'I unapologetically stand for free speech, peaceful demonstrations, and immigration — but this is not that. This is anarchy and true chaos,' he posted Tuesday on X. 'My party loses the moral high ground when we refuse to condemn setting cars on fire, destroying buildings, and assaulting law enforcement.' The fact that the current conflict is happening in deep blue California — a perennial target of conservatives — is only exacerbating such concerns. While most in the party have given Gov. Gavin Newsom high marks for his handling of the crisis and his battle with Trump, there is also a lingering queasiness. 'This is a fight Republicans want right now. Republicans are trying to lean into this blue-states-versus-Trump dynamic,' said one top Democratic strategist. 'And Democrats want a fight, we want a fight we can win. But this is a difficult fight to win because there's so much we can't control. There are so many variables here and a lot of it is completely out of our hands.' Other Democrats are sounding similar warnings, and say they expect Trump to play up the most explosive images stemming from the protests, even if they represent a small fraction of the demonstrations at large. 'This is about provocation,' said Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.). 'It was Donald Trump who sent in the military to a peaceful protest. Donald Trump sent in the military to basically stir things up and give him the image and give him the fight and give him the pictures that he wants.' The clash began on Friday, when a series of federal immigration raids sparked a small protest near downtown Los Angeles. The next day, more protesters appeared in Paramount, Calif., in response to concerns that federal agents were planning to target day laborers outside a Home Depot there. Some of the protestors clashed with the law enforcers. Trump responded on Saturday evening by activating 2,000 National Guard troops without the consent of Newsom or Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who warned that the arrival of military forces would only escalate tensions. On Monday, Trump escalated the response further, dispatching hundreds of Marines to the city. The episode has posed a dilemma for Democratic leaders, highlighting the careful balancing act they're attempting by supporting the first amendment rights of those protesting Trump's controversial immigration policies, while taking pains to distance themselves from any violent actors. 'Peacefully protesting is an American right, it's part of the rich tradition of our country,' said Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.), vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus. 'Burning cars, looting and destroying property are crimes and anyone who takes advantage of this situation and engages in those crimes should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.' Yet many Democrats are voicing concerns that that simple distinction will get lost in the debate, particularly with Trump and conservative media outlets focusing almost exclusively on violent confrontations. 'We strongly condemn the agitators who are committing acts of violence,' said Rep. Mike Levin (D-Calif.). 'Their behavior is completely unacceptable, and they're giving people like Stephen Miller exactly the images that they want. And that makes it even easier to then pick a fight over political retribution.' The protests have challenged the central message coming from Democrats, who are fighting to focus the national debate on the more controversial elements of Trump's domestic agenda, including cuts to federal health care programs, and a volatile economy made more uncertain by Trump's on-and-off tariffs. Former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who once led the party's campaign arm, urged Democrats not to lose sight of that strategy amid the L.A. crisis. 'Trump has two playbooks. One is to use immigration to frighten, enrage and motivate voters,' Israel said. 'The other is ripped out of the history books on authoritarian leaders: provoke, exaggerate and escalate disorder in order to limit freedoms, in Trump's case to distract voters from his poor economic performance.' Israel said Democrats 'can respond with a playbook of their own.' 'Don't let him define them as weak on immigration; use his actions in LA as proof of his extremist impulses; and keep talking about how the economy continues to hurt real Americans.'
