{"id":2610253,"date":"2026-06-03T16:48:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T20:48:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hannah-dugan-urges-court-to-toss-illegal-immigrant-escape-case-ruling\/"},"modified":"2026-06-03T16:48:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T20:48:49","slug":"hannah-dugan-urges-court-to-toss-illegal-immigrant-escape-case-ruling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hannah-dugan-urges-court-to-toss-illegal-immigrant-escape-case-ruling\/","title":{"rendered":"Hannah Dugan urges court to toss illegal immigrant escape case ruling"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">22<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fhannah-dugan-urges-court-to-toss-illegal-immigrant-escape-case-ruling%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2610253&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Former Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan is asking a federal judge in Milwaukee to overturn her obstruction conviction (or grant a new trial) as she awaits sentencing. The conviction stems from her alleged role in helping an illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade arrest after immigration officers came to her courthouse.<\/p>\n<p>At the Wednesday hearing, U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman-appointed by former president Bill Clinton-heard arguments on Dugan\u2019s motion to reconsider. Dugan\u2019s attorneys say a Fourth Circuit ruling in a similar case should require her conviction to be tossed, arguing that the appellate court found an immigration arrest did not qualify as a \u201cpending proceeding\u201d under the obstruction law used against her. They acknowledged that the Fourth Circuit decision isn\u2019t controlling in Wisconsin, but said it should still carry persuasive weight as Wisconsin federal courts follow Seventh Circuit precedent.<\/p>\n<p>Prosecutors urged the court to stick with its original ruling, defending a broad interpretation of what constitutes a \u201cpending proceeding.\u201d Adelman did not signal how he will rule or when a decision will be issued; Dugan\u2019s sentencing was delayed while the motion is considered. If successful, overturning the conviction would eliminate a prominent Justice Department case from the second Trump governance.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Former <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/milwaukee\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2489\">Milwaukee<\/a> County Circuit Judge <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4523171\/judge-hannah-dugan-immigrant-escape-sentence\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4523171\/judge-hannah-dugan-immigrant-escape-sentence\/\">Hannah Dugan<\/a> urged a federal judge this week to toss out her <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3927298\/verdict-reached-judge-accused-helping-illegal-immigrant-evade-authorities\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3927298\/verdict-reached-judge-accused-helping-illegal-immigrant-evade-authorities\/\">conviction<\/a> on obstruction charges for helping an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/fbi-arrests-milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugan-over-obstructing-ice-operations\/\" title=\"FBI ...s ... ... Hannah Dugan over obstructing ICE operations\">illegal immigrant evade arrest<\/a> last year, as part of a last-ditch effort before she is sentenced.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, heard arguments in a federal courtroom in Milwaukee on Wednesday over Dugan\u2019s motion to reconsider either tossing the conviction or ordering a new trial, with Dugan\u2019s lawyers arguing that one of those options is necessary after a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal appeals court reversed<\/a> a ruling both the judge and the Justice Department had relied on in Dugan\u2019s case.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4593162\/mullin-increase-penalty-protesters-dox-ice\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mullin supports increased penalties for protesters who dox ICE officers<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4592641\/demcorats-see-chaos-as-ladder-joe-concha\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>\u2018Democrats see chaos as a ladder\u2019: Joe Concha<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/immigration\/4591793\/mullin-politicized-courts-dhs-rulings\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Mullin cites \u2018politicized\u2019 courts in refusal to commit to DHS obeying rulings<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dugan\u2019s lawyers pointed to a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in a case about an illegal immigrant being detained by federal immigration officers, who later escaped and was rearrested by federal officers. The illegal immigrant had been indicted for obstructing an immigration proceeding, but the appeals court reversed a lower court\u2019s ruling upholding the indictment. The Fourth Circuit panel ruled that the immigration arrest was not \u201cpending proceeding\u201d as defined in the federal law under which the illegal immigrant was charged.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While the Fourth Circuit\u2019s ruling is not binding in Dugan\u2019s case, because Wisconsin federal district courts are subject to the Seventh Circuit\u2019s precedents, her lawyers argued it should still require her December 2025 jury conviction to be tossed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe lone Court of Appeals in the country to address this issue has said that\u2019s not valid and the conviction is overturned,\u201d Dugan\u2019s lawyer Steve Biskupic told the court, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wisn.com\/article\/federal-judge-weighs-whether-to-reverse-conviction-for-former-milwaukee-county-judge\/71482769\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.wisn.com\/article\/federal-judge-weighs-whether-to-reverse-conviction-for-former-milwaukee-county-judge\/71482769\">per<\/a> local Milwaukee television station WISN. \u201cWe ask you do the same in this case.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Adelman questioned both sides over their stance on the motion to toss the jury ruling, with the federal judge pressing DOJ lawyers on how broad the definition of a \u201cpending proceeding\u201d is under the federal law Dugan was charged under. When pressed by Adelman on whether an immigration proceeding under the law could last years, DOJ lawyer Richard Frohling said it could be a couple of years or a couple minutes, per WISN.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe court should stick with its ruling,\u201d Frohling said, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hannah-dugan-trump-immigration-ice-b18737c52a3da442c8c23a591caa9c28\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/hannah-dugan-trump-immigration-ice-b18737c52a3da442c8c23a591caa9c28\">per<\/a> the <em>Associated Press<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Adelman did not offer any indication of how he would rule or when he would issue a ruling during Wednesday\u2019s hearing. Dugan\u2019s sentencing had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was delayed pending the resolution of Dugan\u2019s last-ditch motion to toss her conviction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dugan\u2019s conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, but because she has no prior criminal record, she is unlikely to get close to the maximum sentence. Her lawyers have said they plan to appeal the conviction to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4406598\/convicted-milwaukee-judge-resigns-while-appealing-charge\/\">CONVICTED MILWAUKEE JUDGE RESIGNS WHILE APPEALING CHARGE FOR HELPING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ESCAPE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The former judge\u2019s conviction stems from helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant who appeared in April 2025 before her court, and his lawyer exit her courtroom via a side door after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/former-milwaukee-judge-to-be-sentenced-in-illegal-immigrant-escape-case\/\" title=\"Former ... ... to be sentenced in ... escape ...\">federal immigration officers appeared<\/a> at the courthouse to arrest him. Flores-Ruiz was arrested shortly after leaving the courthouse, while <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/3391443\/fbi-arrests-milwaukee-judge-hannah-dugan-obstructing-ice-operations\/\">Dugan was\u00a0arrested<\/a> roughly a week later.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dugan\u2019s arrest was touted by the Justice Department as a high-profile example that \u201cno one is above the law,\u201d as FBI Director Kash Patel asserted in a post about the state judge at the time of her arrest. If Adelman rules in favor of Dugan\u2019s bid to reverse the conviction, it would wipe away one of the DOJ\u2019s major convictions of the second Trump administration.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Former Milwaukee Judge Dugan asked to overturn obstruction conviction<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2610254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154573137853.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33740,6184,36930,33810,41906],"class_list":["post-2610253","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-court-ruling","tag-deportation","tag-human-rights","tag-immigration-law","tag-legal-appeal"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26154573137853.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610253","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2610253"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610253\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2610257,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2610253\/revisions\/2610257"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2610254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2610253"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2610253"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2610253"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}