Wisconsin judge refuses to ‘hold court’ over arrest of Hannah Dugan for shielding illegal immigrants from ICE

Judge Monica Isham said in an email to judges statewide on Saturday that she could refuse to hold court in Sawyer County unless she receives more support and guidance. In her message, titled "Guidance Requested or I Refuse to Hold Court," Isham wrote, "If there is no guidance for us and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County. I will not put myself or my staff who may feel compelled to help me or my community in harms way," according to a copy obtained by Wisconsin Right Now.

Isham made it clear she wants nothing to do with working with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). She continued, "I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process, as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support require. Should I start raising bail money?" She also said, "If this costs me my job or gets me arrested then at least I know I did the right thing."

Her comments come after Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested last week. Dugan faces charges of obstruction of an official proceeding and concealing an individual to prevent discovery and arrest. According to a criminal complaint, Dugan allegedly helped an illegal immigrant escape arrest after a court hearing.

Federal agents from ICE, the FBI, Customs and Border Protection, and the DEA had planned to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who had just faced misdemeanor battery charges. Instead, Dugan ordered the agents to leave the courtroom and go to the chief judge’s office. Once Flores-Ruiz’s hearing ended, Dugan allegedly escorted him and his attorney out a restricted jury door, helping him bypass federal officers waiting in the public area.

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon criticized Isham’s threats on social media, calling her ultimatum "problematic."

Judge Dugan previously served as executive director of Catholic Charities and was elected to Branch 31 of the Circuit Court in 2016. She ran unopposed for re-election in 2022 and typically oversees misdemeanor cases, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.