Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan resigns after conviction for obstructing ICE agents
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Milwaukee Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted last month of obstructing federal agents trying to arrest an illegal immigrant, has resigned from her position.
In a letter to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Saturday, Dugan said the lawsuit against him threatens judicial independence and vowed to continue fighting it.
“As you know, I am the target of unprecedented federal legal proceedings that have not yet been concluded but present enormous and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary.” he wrote. “I’m waging this fight for myself and for our independent judiciary. But the citizens of Wisconsin I care about deserve to start the year with a judge on the Milwaukee County Branch 31 bench, rather than having the Court’s fate depend on a partisan fight in the state legislature.”
Dugan’s resignation is expected to take effect immediately.
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Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan enters the Milwaukee Federal Courthouse on May 15. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
A 12-person jury convicted Dugan on Dec. 18 of obstructing federal immigration officers during an attempt to serve an arrest warrant at the courthouse last April.
He was arrested after prosecutors said Eduardo Flores-Ruiz helped plainclothes Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents evade serving an arrest warrant. Prosecutors said Dugan instructed Flores-Ruiz and her attorney to leave the courtroom through the back door on April 18, 2025, after learning that ICE agents were in the building to arrest her.
Dugan pleaded not guilty and was acquitted of the lesser misdemeanor charge.
Dugan’s attorneys filed a motion late last month saying they would seek a new trial.
He faces up to five years in prison on the charge of obstructing a felony. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman did not set a sentencing date.
Dugan was suspended by the Wisconsin Supreme Court in April, but continued to receive his annual salary of approximately $175,000 while awaiting trial.
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Milwaukee Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan speaks at a pro-Ukraine rally on February 24, 2025. (Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP)
Following Dugan’s conviction, Republican leaders in Wisconsin said they would begin impeachment proceedings if Dugan did not immediately resign from office.
Wisconsin House Speaker Robin Vos and House Majority Leader Tyler August argued that the state Constitution prohibits any person convicted of a felony from serving in “an office of trust, profit, or honor” unless pardoned.
“Wisconsinians deserve to know that their judiciary is impartial and that justice is blind,” they said in a statement last month. “Judge Hannah Dugan is neither, and her privilege to serve the people of Wisconsin is over.”
Following the verdict, Dugan’s defense team said they were ready to fight to clear his name.
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Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan leaves the federal courthouse after a hearing on Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Lee Matz/Milwaukee Independent via AP)
“While we are disappointed with today’s outcome, the prosecution’s failure to obtain a conviction on both charges represents an opportunity to clear Judge Dugan’s name and show that he did nothing wrong in this matter,” Dugan’s defense team said in a statement. he said.
They added, “We have planned for this potential outcome, and our defense of Judge Dugan is just beginning. Significant resources were required to prepare for this case, and public support for Judge Dugan’s defense fund is critical as we prepare for the next phase of this defense.”
