Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan, charged with obstructing an immigration arrest, leaves after appearing in court, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. May 15, 2025. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska
The MAGA world is on fire hours after former Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan was given a mere $5,000 fine and no jail time for helping a Homeland Security target evade capture by a handful of minutes.
The former judge said she was trying to do the right thing when she steered an undocumented defendant in her courtroom away from federal agents. At that time, she said people were afraid to come to court for fear of encountering immigration agents, but the court requires a public unafraid to speak up.
"I have been cast as both a scofflaw and a hero. I am neither. I am just a person who was trying to do my job," Dugan said while speaking to U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman.
But Dugan, 67, did not apologize for her actions after a jury found her guilty of obstructing a federal immigration proceeding. Adelman said prison and probation were unnecessary, saying Dugan has lived a life of public service and is not at risk of re-offending.
“This is the case of a good person, upset by immigration enforcement in this country, a sentiment widely shared, making a bad decision in the moment,” Adelman said.
But MAGA does not see it that way, and right-wing critics blasted their hard feelings on Wednesday.
“Absolutely outrageous. A slap on the wrist for someone who abused the power of her office and failed to uphold the law,” wrote U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) on X.
“The swamp protects one of its own as usual,” howled another MAGA critic. “This needs to change, she doubled down on her actions and refused to say she was wrong!”
“She got away with it. Two-Tiered justice system strikes again,” said right-wing political commentator and YouTuber Benny Johnson on X.
Disgrace in Milwaukee,” bawled another MAGA critic, who called the sentence “a joke.” “… leftist Judge Hannah Dugan, caught red-handed helping an illegal alien dodge ICE agents right inside her own courthouse, just got ZERO jail time, ZERO probation, and a pathetic $5,000 fine … This is outrageous. If judges who undermine our laws get a free pass, what's stopping more of this chaos?”
“Outrageous! Judges need MAXIMUM punishment or this will just keep happening,” said MAGA commenter Eric Daugherty. “She was let off too easy!”
Steve Biskupic, one of Dugan's attorneys, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that every judge in the country is well aware of what happened to Dugan, who was arrested at work, handcuffed and led through two courthouses. He called her a "poster child" for the Trump administration's battle with local judges.
“What judge is looking at this case and saying, 'Yes, sign me up for the Hannah Dugan treatment?'" Biskupic argued.
