Latest news with #FloresRuiz
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Wisconsin judge accused of helping a man dodge immigration agents seeks donations for attorneys
A Wisconsin judge charged with helping a man illegally evade immigration agents is seeking donations to fund her court defense. Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan announced Friday that she's set up a fund to cover the costs of her defense. Her attorneys said in a statement that the case against her is an 'unprecedented attack on the independent judiciary by the federal government.' Dugan has hired a group of high-powered lawyers led by former U.S. Attorney Steve Biskupic. She's looking to tap into anger on the left over the case to help pay them. Dozens of people demonstrated outside Dugan's arraignment Thursday at the federal courthouse in Milwaukee, demanding she be set free and accusing the Trump administration of going too far. Federal prosecutors allege Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was in Dugan's courtroom on April 18 for a hearing in a domestic violence case when Dugan learned immigration agents were in the courthouse looking to arrest him. According to court documents, Flores-Ruiz illegally returned to the U.S. after he was deported in 2013. Angry that agents were in the courthouse and calling the situation 'absurd,' Dugan led Flores-Ruiz out a back door in her courtroom, according to an FBI affidavit. Agents eventually captured him following a foot chase outside the building. FBI agents arrested Dugan at the county courthouse on April 25. A grand jury on Tuesday indicted her on one count of obstruction and one count of concealing a person to prevent arrest. The charges carry a total maximum sentence of six years in federal prison. Dugan pleaded not guilty during her arraignment. Her attorneys have filed a motion seeking to dismiss the case, arguing that she was controlling movement in her courtroom in her official capacity as a judge and therefore is immune from prosecution. The state Supreme Court suspended Dugan following her arrest. A reserve judge has taken over her cases. Her attorneys said in their statement that Dugan plans to resume her work as a judge and they won't accept contributions that could compromise her judicial integrity. They said they would not accept money from Milwaukee County residents; attorneys who practice in the county; lobbyists; judges; parties with pending matters before any Milwaukee County judge; and county employees. They also said they would take money only from U.S. citizens.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FBI's Kash Patel Crows About Dramatic Arrest of State Judge
A circuit judge was arrested Friday by the Federal Bureau of Investigation inside a Milwaukee courthouse and charged with helping an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest after he appeared in her courtroom. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X Friday, saying that authorities believe Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan 'intentionally misdirected federal agents away' from the man, Mexican immigrant Eduardo Flores Ruiz. Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the arrest. 'I can confirm that our @FBI agents just arrested Hannah Dugan–a county judge in Milwaukee–for allegedly helping an illegal alien avoid an arrest by @ICEgov,' she wrote. 'No one is above the law,' Bondi added. A criminal complaint obtained by the Daily Beast states that Dugan, 65, was charged with obstruction and has been released on her own recognizance. If convicted, she could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison. Flores Ruiz, a Mexican national who was previously deported in 2013, was at the courthouse for a pre-trial conference on three misdemeanor battery charges when Immigration and Customs Enforcement swooped in, Dugan's complaint said. An FBI agent alleged Dugan was 'visibly upset' and 'confrontational' toward six federal agents—two from the FBI, two from the DEA, one from Border Patrol, and one from ICE—who were dressed in plainclothes to make an arrest in 'as low-key and safe of a manner as possible.' The complaint said Dugan learned of ICE's presence at the courthouse from her clerk, who appeared to have been tipped off by a public defender. The complaint claims that Dugan 'commented that the situation was absurd' and left her bench to confront the federal agents in a hallway and demand proof of a warrant. The FBI claims agents showed an arrest warrant to Dugan in the hallway. She is accused of pushing back, saying it was insufficient and that the agents needed to discuss the matter with the courthouse's chief judge, so they did. That is when Dugan is accused of abruptly adjourning Flores Ruiz's hearing—allegedly without giving notice to the state—and escorting him through a 'jury door.' This maneuver allowed Flores Ruiz to skip the public hallway where federal law enforcement was waiting so he could 'avoid his arrest,' the complaint said. Flores Ruiz, whose hearing was set to take place on the building's sixth floor, briskly reached an elevator with his attorney, the FBI said, but he was spotted by one of the agents and was followed. The complaint alleges he reached the ground floor of the courthouse and 'sprinted' away on the street in downtown Milwaukee. The FBI said Flores Ruiz ran the length of the courthouse before he was apprehended and placed in handcuffs. The complaint stated that the entire ordeal lasted approximately 22 minutes. Patel quickly deleted his post about Dugan's arrest, but it is not clear why. 'Just NOW, the FBI arrested Judge Hannah Dugan out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on charges of obstruction—after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week,' 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.' Flores Ruiz appeared before Dugan for a pre-trial conference on April 18. Federal agents arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse on the same date with an arrest warrant, the FBI said. Agents then went to Dugan's courtroom on the sixth floor, where they were asked for a warrant, according to an email Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley sent to other district court judges. The April 18 email did not name the defendant. 'They were asked to go to Chief Judge's office. They complied. They presented a warrant, which we copied,' Ashley's email said, adding that agents were asked to wait until the hearing had finished. Ashley said their actions 'were consistent with our draft policies, but we're still in the process of conferring on the draft.' Dugan, however, reportedly responded to the email, alleging that 'a warrant was not presented in the hallway on the 6th floor.' '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,' Patel's post said. Dugan is in her ninth year as a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, an elected position. Her current judicial term expires in 2028.
Epoch Times
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Wisconsin Supreme Court Suspends Milwaukee Judge Accused of Helping Man Evade Immigration Authorities
Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was officially suspended by Wisconsin's Supreme Court on April 29, after she was arrested by the FBI on April 25 and accused of helping a man evade immigration authorities. 'It is ordered ... that Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah C. Dugan is temporarily prohibited from exercising the powers of a circuit court judge in the state of Wisconsin, effective the date of this order and until further order of the court,' the justices wrote in their statement. Dugan faces one count of 'obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency,' and another of 'concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.' Wisconsin's Supreme Court Justices said that it was in the public interest, to protect public confidence, to remove her from her post as she faces those two federal charges. They also noted that they were acting on their own initiative rather than at the request of anyone. Dugan was assigned to preside over a hearing for a Mexican man named Eduardo Flores Ruiz, who was charged with According to the affidavit, witnesses said she appeared 'visibly upset and had a confrontational, angry demeanor,' upon learning of the arrest party's arrival. Witnesses also alleged that Dugan 'escorted' Flores Ruiz and his lawyer 'out of the courtroom through the 'jury door,' which leads to a nonpublic area of the courthouse' (the door is only used by defendants if they are in the custody of deputies), after she 'ordered' the team of FBI and deportation officials to go to the chief judge's office. Related Stories 4/28/2025 4/25/2025 Another officer noticed Flores Ruiz and his lawyer on an elevator and alerted the arrest team, who apprehended him after a foot race outside the courthouse. FBI director Kash Patel said investigators believe Her next court appearance as a defendant is May 15, and she could face more disciplinary actions against her license to practice law. A state court spokesperson told The Associated Press that a reserve judge began serving in Dugan's place on April 28 and will continue to do so for an indefinite period of time. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Yahoo
Milwaukee County judge arrested; Mexican national in federal custody
The Brief A Mexican national arrested in Milwaukee County is now in federal custody. Federal prosecutors accuse a judge of helping him avoid agents at the courthouse. The man is charged in Milwaukee County in connection to a fight over loud music. MILWAUKEE - A Mexican national, who federal prosecutors say a judge helped avoid immigration enforcement at the Milwaukee County Courthouse, is now in federal custody. Here's what we know. The backstory Milwaukee County prosecutors said charges against 29-year-old Eduardo Flores Ruiz stem from a fight over loud music on March 12. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Court documents said Flores Ruiz hit a man 30 times, knocked the man to the ground and grabbed his neck. He's also accused of hitting a woman. Flores Ruiz was charged with three counts of misdemeanor battery and appeared in court on April 18. That's when federal court documents say Judge Hannah Dugan helped the man avoid U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Dig deeper Federal agents eventually caught up with Flores Ruiz outside the Milwaukee County Courthouse and took him into custody. Flores Ruiz is an undocumented man from Mexico. Federal court filings said he was ordered to leave the U.S. in 2023 and was never granted permission to return. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News In federal court on Thursday, Flores Ruiz's attorney said the 29-year-old ran away from agents because he was scared and his instincts took over. FOX6 News knocked on the door of Flores Ruiz's listed address on Friday but did not get an answer. What's next A federal judge ultimately ordered Flores Ruiz to be detained until his next court date. He is due back in federal court for a plea hearing on May 8. The Source Information in this report is from federal court documents and the Wisconsin Circuit Court.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
FBI Arrests Judge Accused of Helping Migrant Evade ICE
The FBI has arrested a judge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, they have accused of obstructing the arrest of an undocumented migrant. According to a now-deleted X post, FBI Director Kash Patel wrote that the FBI has arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan 'after evidence of Judge Dugan obstructing an immigration arrest operation last week.' '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,' Patel wrote, adding that Flores Ruiz had been arrested. U.S. Marshals confirmed Dugan's arrest to several publications. According to a report from The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Flores Ruiz, who is from Mexico, appeared for a hearing before Dugan on April 18. According to an email from Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley obtained by the Journal Sentinel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents entered the Milwaukee courthouse and 'were asked whether they had a warrant, and the agents presented the warrant as well as their identification […] They were asked to go to Chief Judge's office. They complied.' According to Ashley's email, the agents were asked to wait until their suspect's hearing had concluded before making their arrest. In a response to the Journal Sentinel, Dugan wrote that 'nearly every fact regarding the 'tips' in your email is inaccurate.' Sources told the Journal Sentinel that Dugan directed Flores Ruiz out of a side door from the courtroom and into another public area of the courthouse when immigration agents left to speak with the Chief Justice. In an email response to Chief Justice Ashley, Dugan wrote that 'a warrant was not presented in the hallway on the 6th floor.' The Trump administration has made clear they want to retaliate against anyone who impedes their anti-immigration efforts. 'We are going to prosecute you, and we are prosecuting you,' Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News on Friday when asked for her message toward those trying to obstruct their deportation efforts. 'I could not believe a judge really did that.' She then suggested Dugan is 'deranged' and thinks she's 'above the law.' It isn't just Bondi, Patel, and the Justice Department. Last month, Trump's 'Border Czar' Tom Homan suggested that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) be investigated for posting advice to undocumented migrants regarding their rights if they are confronted or detained by ICE agents. Earlier this month, Trump's personal lawyer turned acting U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Alina Habba said she would be launching an investigation into the state's Democratic governor, Phil Murphy, as a 'warning for everybody' who sought to protect migrants from the plans of the administration. In February, a lawyer named Clay Jackson was reportedly confronted by two unidentified agents who shut off the WiFi in his home and accused him of 'obstructing an ongoing immigration investigation' after he offered to find legal help for a mixed-status family whose relative was in ICE FBI and Department of Justice have not released additional details regarding the arrest, but the detention of Judge Dugan takes place after a series of threats by the Trump administration to retaliate against judges who act disfavorably to the president's agenda. The president has threatened impeachment and removal against federal judges who have blocked his administration's efforts to strip migrants of due process rights, and gut large swaths of the federal government. It's no surprise that Trump's FBI might begin arresting judges over disputes regarding undocumented migrants. More from Rolling Stone Trump-Appointed Judge Orders Return of Another Wrongfully Deported Man Judge Slams Trump Admin's 'Intentional Noncompliance' With Court Order Trump Attacks the Supreme Court, Says America 'Cannot Give Everyone a Trial' Best of Rolling Stone The Useful Idiots New Guide to the Most Stoned Moments of the 2020 Presidential Campaign Anatomy of a Fake News Scandal The Radical Crusade of Mike Pence
