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The Federal Bureau of Investigation detained a Milwaukee County Circuit judge Friday, according to FBI Director Kash Patel on social media, accusing her of assisting an unauthorized immigrant in avoiding arrest.
A law enforcement official informed CNN that Judge Hannah Dugan is facing two counts of obstruction and sheltering a person from arrest.
"We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested in her courthouse, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, allowing the subject — an illegal alien — to evade arrest," Patel's posting said prior to being swiftly removed. "Thankfully our agents chased down the perp on foot and he's been in custody since, but the Judge's obstruction created increased danger to the public."
Dugan is in federal detention while awaiting her initial court appearance, according to a law enforcement officer.
The arrest warrant and criminal complaint are not yet publicly available. CNN has contacted the Justice Department and FBI for comment.
The arrest on federal charges represents an increase in the Trump administration's attention on judges' behavior, particularly in relation to immigration enforcement. The Justice Department has consistently stated that it will investigate any municipal leaders who refuse to cooperate with federal authorities on immigration issues.
The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel said that when Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrived at the court last week, they headed straight to Dugan's courtroom.
The Journal-Sentinel referenced an email from Chief Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Carl Ashley, who stated that "they were asked whether they had a warrant, and the agents presented the warrant as well as their identification." The chief judge stated that the ICE officials were instructed to wait until the court session was over.
Eduardo Flores Ruiz was apprehended on a federal criminal complaint earlier this week after reportedly fleeing Dugan's courthouse as federal immigration officers were about to arrest him days before.
According to court filings, Flores Ruiz fled the building after learning that ICE authorities were about to arrest him. The agents pursued him outside the courthouse, where he fled again, but was eventually "apprehended a short distance away."
Flores Ruiz has yet to make a plea and is being jailed, according to his federal court record. This would be a different case from the claimed accusation against Dugan.
This story has been updated with new developments.
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