Wisconsin Judge Accused of Aiding Illegal Immigrant Escape ICE Arrest as DHS Deports Violent Mexican Offender
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has confirmed that a Mexican national with a violent criminal history, who was allegedly assisted by a Wisconsin judge in evading arrest by immigration agents earlier this year, has been deported.
Officials announced on Friday that 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz was removed from the United States on Thursday, ending a months-long controversy involving Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, who is now facing criminal charges of her own.
Violent Offender Deported After Judge’s Alleged Interference
According to DHS, Flores-Ruiz had a long list of prior violent charges, including strangulation, suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse. He was previously deported in 2013 but later reentered the U.S. illegally.
Assistant Secretary of DHS Tricia McLaughlin condemned Judge Dugan’s actions, calling them a dangerous example of political bias within the justice system.
“Judge Dugan’s actions to obstruct this violent criminal’s arrest take activist judge to a whole new meaning,” McLaughlin said. “Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE, this criminal is out of our country.”
McLaughlin added that DHS remains committed to pursuing offenders who violate immigration laws:
“If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you, and remove you from our country. That’s a promise.”
Judge Hannah Dugan Accused of Helping Defendant Escape ICE Agents
The high-profile incident took place in April 2025, when Flores-Ruiz was arrested after a pretrial hearing before Judge Dugan. Surveillance footage from the Milwaukee County Courthouse allegedly shows the judge helping the suspect exit through a restricted door, allowing him to evade ICE officers waiting in the hallway.
At the time, Flores-Ruiz’s alleged victims and state prosecutors were in the courtroom, unaware that the defendant had fled.
Dugan allegedly confronted ICE agents and claimed they needed a warrant to make the arrest inside her courtroom. Federal officials later charged her with obstruction of justice.
She pleaded not guilty and filed a motion to dismiss, arguing that she was acting within her judicial authority and that the federal government had violated Wisconsin’s sovereignty by interfering in a state court.
Flores-Ruiz Sentenced and Deported
After several months in federal custody, Flores-Ruiz was sentenced last week to time served for illegal reentry. U.S. District Judge Pamela Pepper presided over the sentencing and expressed hope that Flores-Ruiz would not return to the U.S. unlawfully.
“I very much hope you can find a way to make a living back home rather than coming back here,” Judge Pepper told him during sentencing.
ICE officials confirmed that Flores-Ruiz was flown back to Mexico on Thursday under federal escort.
Ongoing Investigation Into Judicial Misconduct
Meanwhile, Judge Dugan remains under federal indictment. Legal analysts say her case raises major constitutional questions about judicial immunity, federal authority, and state-federal relations in immigration enforcement.
If convicted, she could face prison time and removal from the bench.
Should judges be immune from prosecution for actions taken during immigration enforcement cases?
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