U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman chose not to send Dugan to prison, explaining that he believed her actions stemmed from poor judgment rather than criminal intent.
“I think this is a situation where an otherwise good person, upset by immigration policies in this country, made a bad decision in the moment,” Adelman said.
Dugan, 66, was found guilty of obstructing federal immigration agents during an incident that unfolded on April 18, 2025, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers attempted to take Eduardo Flores-Ruiz into custody at the Milwaukee County courthouse.
While jurors convicted her on the felony obstruction charge, they acquitted her of a separate misdemeanor accusation alleging she concealed an individual to prevent an arrest. The felony conviction alone carried a maximum sentence of five years behind bars.
Addressing the court shortly before her sentencing, Dugan defended the decisions she made that day and insisted her actions were motivated by her responsibilities as a judge rather than any personal agenda.
“My acts that day were consistent with community concerns at the courthouse,” Dugan told the court.
“My judicial acts were not done with any malicious intent or to advance any personal interests.”
Dugan also reflected on the toll the prosecution has taken on her career. She explained that the legal battle forced her into retirement and ultimately led her to resign from the bench earlier this year so another judge could assume responsibility for her courtroom.
“I have been cast as a scofflaw and as a hero. I am neither. I am a public servant who was just trying to do my job,” she said.
“Your honor, I will not let those minutes on April 18, 2025, define my life’s work.”
The case sparked outrage among many Republican lawmakers, several of whom previously called for Dugan’s impeachment. They argued that her conduct demonstrated judicial activism and undermined federal immigration enforcement.
Before the sentence was handed down, several supporters appeared in court to ask for leniency, arguing that Dugan had already paid a steep personal and professional price.
Among those speaking on her behalf was the Rev. Gregory J. O’Meara, a Jesuit priest, attorney, and law professor.
“Hannah models what it means to be Christian,” said the Rev. Gregory J. O’Meara, a Jesuit priest, attorney and law professor.
“We’ve made arrangements to hold services for her privately because she’s been hassled.”
“I do not think there is a need for further punishment, deterrence, retribution or reform.”
Marquette University law professor Janine Geske also urged the judge to show mercy during sentencing.
“She has lost her profession and her income, and she’s here humbly to ask you to give her the opportunity to return to the community,” Geske said.
Federal prosecutors argued that Dugan knowingly interfered with ICE officers after they arrived at the courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz. Authorities said Flores-Ruiz, 31, had illegally reentered the United States and was appearing before Dugan in connection with a state domestic violence case.
According to prosecutors, Dugan confronted the federal agents and challenged the validity of their administrative warrant. They further alleged that she directed the officers toward the chief judge’s office, creating an opportunity for Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to leave the courthouse through a rear exit.
Although Flores-Ruiz initially escaped the building, federal agents located him outside moments later. After a brief foot pursuit, officers successfully arrested him.
Throughout the proceedings, Dugan’s legal team argued that actions taken while performing her judicial duties should have been protected from criminal prosecution. The courts ultimately rejected that argument.
Defense attorney Steve Biskupic also argued that the prosecution was unlikely to encourage similar conduct by other judges.
“What judges around the country are looking at this case and saying, ‘Yes, sign me up?’ There won’t be a crime wave of judges defying ICE,” defense attorney Steve Biskupic argued before sentencing, Fox News reported.
Since the courthouse incident, Flores-Ruiz has been deported from the United States. Dugan, meanwhile, says she hopes to move beyond the legal battle and eventually resume serving the public in another capacity.
The sentencing closes a case that became a national symbol in the ongoing conflict between federal immigration enforcement and state judicial authority. While Dugan avoided prison, her conviction, resignation from the bench, and the intense public scrutiny surrounding the case ensure that the controversy will remain part of the broader debate over immigration and the rule of law for years to come.
