Tensions Escalate: Milwaukee Judge Arrested Amid Immigration Row

Milwaukee judge Hannah Dugan was arrested by the FBI for helping a man evade immigration authorities, intensifying issues between the Trump administration and local officials. Dugan is charged with obstructing a proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent arrest. The case highlights ongoing tensions over immigration enforcement under the Trump presidency.

In a dramatic turn of events, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah Dugan was apprehended by the FBI on Friday. She is accused of assisting a defendant in evading immigration authorities, a move that has heightened already existing tensions between the Trump administration and several local governments over immigration enforcement.

According to the charges, Judge Dugan allegedly helped escort the man, facing domestic violence charges, through a jury door not typically used by defense attorneys and non-custodial defendants. This action was purportedly taken after Dugan learned that immigration officers were awaiting the man's arrest outside the courtroom.

Wisconsin's Democratic Governor Tony Evers criticized the arrest as a threat to judicial independence. Meanwhile, Attorney General Pam Bondi and others argue the judge's actions endangered public and law enforcement safety. The case reverberates strongly as it echoes a similar 2019 incident in Massachusetts, where a judge was charged under similar circumstances.

(With inputs from agencies.)