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A federal jury in Milwaukee (Wisconsin) declared guilty on Friday the Circuit Court Judge of Milwaukee County, Hannah Dugan, for obstructing the work of federal immigration agents (ICE) when they attempted to arrest an undocumented immigrant last April.
According to the charge, Dugan allegedly interfered with the arrest of Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican citizen accused of misdemeanor assault, by questioning the legality of the ICE operation and facilitating his exit from the courtroom through a side door designated for the jury.
Prosecutors argue that the judge "created an escape route" for the immigrant after ordering the agents to go to the main county judge's office and expedite the defendant's hearing.
Moments later, Flores-Ruiz was arrested outside the building and subsequently deported to Mexico.
During the trial, federal agents testified that Dugan acted in an "angry" and "defiant" manner, even stating that he would "face the consequences" of his actions.
The judge was acquitted of the lesser charge of hiding a person to avoid their arrest, but found guilty of obstructing a federal procedure, a felony that could result in a sentence of up to five years in prison.
The defense attorney, Jason Luczak, argued that the judge acted amid confusion regarding the rules of cooperation between courts and immigration, which were under review at that time.
"The jury has the power to correct this injustice," he said in his closing argument.
The case has sparked an intense debate in the United States regarding the role of local judges in relation to federal immigration policies, especially following the tightening of immigration law enforcement during President Donald Trump's second term.
Until 2018, state and local courts were considered "safe zones" where federal agents could not make arrests.
However, the Trump administration expanded ICE's authority to operate in those areas, arguing the need to bolster national security and combat illegal immigration.
The ruling by Judge Dugan will be announced in the coming weeks by the federal court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
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