The recent arrest of Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan has reignited a fierce national debate over immigration enforcement in U.S. courthouses. Dugan, a Milwaukee County Circuit Court judge, is facing federal charges for allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant evade arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Her court appearance is scheduled for Thursday, where she’ll answer to obstruction and harboring charges—claims her legal team insists she will overcome.
This high-profile arrest comes amidst an aggressive revival of immigration enforcement policies under President Donald Trump’s second term. Trump’s administration has not only doubled the number of ICE courthouse arrests since returning to office in January, but it has also broadened the scope of who can be targeted. According to ICE data analyzed by Reuters, 189 courthouse arrests have already been made—more than double the total under President Biden the previous year.
Critics say the move is more than just about enforcing immigration law—it’s a power play aimed at intimidating the judiciary. “This feels like a coordinated effort to weaken the judiciary,” says Jeremy Fogel, a former California judge now with the Berkeley Judicial Institute. “Whether or not it succeeds, it sends a chilling message.”
The case against Judge Dugan centers on an April 18 incident, where she allegedly guided Eduardo Flores Ruiz—an undocumented immigrant charged with assault—through a restricted courthouse hallway, helping him avoid ICE agents waiting to arrest him. Ruiz was eventually caught after a brief chase outside the courthouse.
Under Trump, ICE reversed Biden-era restrictions that limited enforcement at sensitive locations like courthouses. The new policy not only targets undocumented immigrants with criminal records but also extends to family members of defendants and even witnesses. Supporters argue it’s a logical move. “It’s common sense to arrest criminal illegal aliens where we know they’ll be,” said DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
But legal experts warn that such enforcement tactics risk eroding public trust in the judicial system. “When immigrants fear going to court—whether as defendants, victims, or witnesses—justice is compromised,” said Sarah Rogerson, a law professor at Albany Law School.
Some Democratic-led states, including New York and Massachusetts, have already passed laws restricting ICE activity near courthouses. Notably, during Trump’s first term, a Massachusetts judge faced similar charges for allegedly impeding an ICE arrest. While the Biden administration later dropped that case, state disciplinary proceedings are ongoing.
The Trump administration has also been unrelenting in its attacks on federal judges who block or question his immigration agenda. Over 200 lawsuits have already been filed against Trump’s executive orders in his second term alone, and many judges have become the target of public criticism from top Trump allies.
A recent photo posted by FBI Director Kash Patel, showing Judge Dugan in handcuffs, stirred controversy. Typically, such images are not publicly released unless deemed necessary for law enforcement. Patel defended the post during a Senate hearing, saying it aimed to show that “no one is above the law.”
But for many, the optics of a sitting judge being arrested and paraded online symbolize a new front in Trump’s hardline immigration war—one that may come at the cost of judicial independence.
