Grand jury indicts Milwaukee judge accused of obstructing immigration agents

A federal grand jury Tuesday indicted a Wisconsin judge arrested by the FBI for allegedly obstructing government agents seeking to detain an undocumented immigrant.

The two-page indictment accuses Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan of confronting members of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and falsely telling them they needed a judicial warrant to conduct their operation. It also accused her of directing the undocumented immigrant and his lawyer to exit through a separate door to sidestep federal agents.

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Dugan was arrested last month and charged with obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States, and concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest.

The maximum penalty for the counts is a total of 6 years in prison and up to $350,000 in fines. Dugan is scheduled to enter her plea to the charges Thursday morning.

Dugan’s attorney Craig Mastantuono said in a statement Tuesday that the judge maintains her innocence.

“As she said after her unnecessary arrest, Judge Dugan asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court,” Mastantuono said.

Dugan’s arrest in April marked an intensification in the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and its attacks on judges, sparking protests in Milwaukee.

On the day of her arrest, Attorney General Pam Bondi said on Fox News: “If you are harboring a fugitive, we don’t care who you are, if you are helping hide…anyone who is illegally in this country, we will come after you and we will prosecute you. We will find you.”

Dugan was released on bond after appearing before a federal magistrate judge.

The Wisconsin Supreme Court temporarily relieved Dugan of her duties last month while the case moves forward, an action the court said it took on its own and to protect public trust in Wisconsin courts.