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BumRushDaShow

(167,083 posts) Fri Feb 6, 2026, 03:16 AM 8 hrs ago

Judge who helped immigrant evade arrest says ICE agents violated 'longstanding privilege' barring civil arrests at court

Source: Law & Crime

Feb 5th, 2026, 3:58 pm

ICE agents "violated a longstanding privilege" barring civil arrests from happening in courthouses when they tried to arrest an undocumented immigrant that Hannah Dugan — the former Wisconsin judge who was found guilty last year of impeding agents during a courthouse bust — shielded from arrest, her lawyers say.

"ICE had no lawful right to execute the warrant in a state courthouse against a party with a court appearance that day," Dugan's legal team argues in a Jan. 30 motion for a new trial. "[Dugan's] conviction cannot stand, as a matter of law," the motion charges.

Dugan, 66, was indicted last year for allegedly helping an immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade federal officers shortly after he appeared in her Milwaukee County Circuit courtroom in connection with a domestic abuse case. A federal jury found Dugan guilty in December of one count of obstructing or impeding a proceeding before a department or agency of the United States, a felony. Jurors found her innocent of one count of concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest, a misdemeanor.

Steve Biskupic, one of Dugan's defense attorneys — and a former U.S. Attorney — told WISN in late December that her legal team had planned to ask U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, a Bill Clinton appointee, to set aside Dugan's guilty verdict. Her lawyers filed their motion for a new trial on Friday with claims that recent court cases, including one in November 2025, established a "common-law privilege" that bars civil arrests from happening inside courthouses.

Read more: https://lawandcrime.com/high-profile/had-no-lawful-right-judge-who-helped-immigrant-evade-arrest-says-ice-agents-violated-longstanding-privilege-barring-civil-arrests-at-courthouses-as-she-asks-for-new-trial/

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Judge who helped immigrant evade arrest says ICE agents violated 'longstanding privilege' barring civil arrests at court (Original Post) BumRushDaShow 8 hrs ago OP

Your post list reads like a book. Thank you for Scrivener7 3 hrs ago #1

Have been following her case BumRushDaShow 3 hrs ago #2

Yes, and there's a very good reason for not arresting people who show up for... Hugin 3 hrs ago #3

Scrivener7

(58,865 posts)

1. Your post list reads like a book. Thank you for

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Feb 6, 2026, 07:59 AM

3 hrs ago

the work to put that all in one place. It's important.

BumRushDaShow

(167,083 posts)

2. Have been following her case

Reply to Scrivener7 (Reply #1)

Fri Feb 6, 2026, 08:11 AM

3 hrs ago

knowing that ICE standing outside of courtrooms ready to grab people, often those who were willing witnesses for local crimes, has become a huge issue in many urban areas. More and more cities (including mine - Philly) have their City Councils passing legislation to keep them away from municipal property without a VALID warrant ( "administrative warrants" are not valid).

Hugin

(37,603 posts)

3. Yes, and there's a very good reason for not arresting people who show up for...

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Fri Feb 6, 2026, 08:14 AM

3 hrs ago

Court appearances. That’s how Justice is served and jurisdictions are mediated. Without these guarantees all that exists is self-righteous vigilantes and no due process.

I am not sure I would label it “privilege”. It is a requirement for a civil society.

It’s similar to the immunity which is extended to legislators who are on their way to vote on pending legislation.

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