- The US alleged that Dugan helped the man to save him from arrest.
- The mob opposed Dugan’s arrest, ‘Judge Free the Judge Now’ mantra.
- FBI director Patel removes social media posts on arrest.
The United States officials on Friday arrested a Wisconsin Judge and accused him of abducting immigration officials in a increasing dispute between local authorities on the administration and immigration enforcement of President Donald Trump to help a person in his court.
In a criminal complaint, the US Department of Justice said that Milwauki County Circuit Judge, Hannah Dugan, obstructed the immigration agents, who showed to arrest the man without a judicial warrant outside his court on 18 April, and tried to help him avoid arrest by allowing him to get out through a jury door.
The agents arrested Eduardo Flores-Risees outside the courtyard, after the agents left with their lawyers.
Dugan briefly introduced a brief in a federal court of Milwauki to face allegations of hiding a person to obstruct a government proceedings and prevent arrest.
He was released and prescribed to enter a petition on 15 May. A crowd formed outside the courthouse, chanting: “Free the Judge Now.”
Dugan left the courtyard through a side door without any comment.
A promotional firm said on his behalf, “Judge Dugan will strictly protect himself, and is ready to move forward.”
Trump, a Republican, began a comprehensive immigration crack after taking over in January, and the Department of Justice directed the federal prosecutors to pursue criminal cases against local authorities, which intervene in the effort. Such resistance to Trump’s first 2017-2021 post was widespread.
Attorney General Palm Bandy said in a statement, “At least one of the judges should not obstruct law enforcement operation.”
The Trump administration has been closed in an increasing collision with federal judges, as many have issued rules that limit their aggressive use of President Shakti in immigration and other cases. State courts have played a less important role in that dispute.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media that agents arrested Dugan to intervene in Floors-Ris’s arrest, which he had described as “illegal foreigners”. He later removed the post that was done before the case against Dugan, ignoring the possible violation of the privacy rules in the federal court.
The most senior democrats of the Senate Judiciary Committee, American Senator Dick Darbin stated that the Trump administration “continues to test the boundaries of our constitution,” and when the immigration authorities “interference” with the criminal justice system, it prevents witnesses and victims from coming forward.
“How does anyone make America safe by arresting a sitting judge?” Durbin said in his statement.
Second judge alleged
This week federal officials also arrested a former New Mexico judge and accused him of tampering with evidence, after showing the court records, a person who was associated with a Venezuela’s street gang on the charge of officials, was found to be on his property.
According to a criminal complaint, former judge, Joel Cano, was charged with his wife Nancy, when he allegedly helped the person who faces allegations of illegal gun occupation, destroyed a cellphone, which is believed to have evidence of catching firearms, according to a criminal complaint.
Joel Cano was barred from serving as a judge in the state by the Supreme Court of the state on Tuesday.
Joel and Nancy Cano’s lawyers did not immediately respond to the remarks requests.
In the Wisconsin case, a criminal complaint allegedly got “blind” and said it was “absurd” when the plaincloth immigration agent arrived on April 18, saying that he wanted to arrest Flores-Ruies after leaving his court, where he had to face the abused batteries related to domestic misconduct.
Speaking in the outside corridor, he asked the agents if there was a judicial warrant for his arrest, and he told him that he was not, an administrative warrant issued by a colleague in the Homeland Security Department by a colleague.
The complaint stated that Dugan told the agents that he needed a judicial warrant to arrest someone inside the courtyard and asked him to talk with the Chief Justice.
The complaint stated that she returned to her court room and after postponing the hearing, directed the Floors-Rise and his lawyer to leave through a door, causing a non-public sector of the courtyard.
Outside agents approached Flores-Rise as they left the courthouse, and arrested him after walking on foot, about 22 minutes later he saw him reaching court for the first time.
Chief Justice of Milwauki Court, Carl Ashley refused to comment.
The complaint stated that Floors-Rules were first sent to Mexico.
DHS spokesman Trisia McLaglin said in a statement, “Since President Trump was inaugurated, activist judges have tried to make President Trump and American People’s mandate safe and to secure our motherland.”
Dugan was first selected as a county judge in 2016 and was earlier served as the head of the local branch of Catholic charities, providing refugee rehabilitation programs among other services. He spent most of his early career as a lawyer in Milwauki’s Legal Aid Society, which serves poor people.
During Trump’s first 2017-2021 tenure, federal prosecutors made criminal allegations against the Judge of Massachusetts, alleging that he was disrupting the federal immigration arrest of a defendant in his court. The allegations were dropped in 2022 when the Trump was out of the office.
Barbara McCwade, a former federal prosecutor at Michigan Law School, said that judges have no special immunity, but prosecutors should consider the impact on the American federal system, which allows states to implement their own laws.
“It sounds like a very aggressive practice of prosecution’s discretion,” he said.
