On Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, a pretrial hearing was held for Judge Hannah Dugan, who is being accused of helping an illegal immigrant man evade Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. If convicted she could ultimately end up serving a six-year sentence in prison. Her trial is set for December.
Dugan was arrested by the FBI in April 2025 in the courthouse where she serves as a judge. FBI Director Kash Patel revealed information about the arrest in a post on social media outlet X, however, Dugan’s attorneys will not be allowed to discuss or introduce as part of their client’s defense after a ruling handed down by U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman.
Federal prosecutors revealed on Wednesday they are planning to call a total of 28 witnesses to offer testimony, including several individuals who were present at the Milwaukee County Courthouse and in Dugan’s courtroom when the incident took place. Jury selection for the trial will kick off on December 11.
Last week, interim U.S. Attorney Brad Schimel revealed that prosecutors offered Dugan a plea deal, but her legal team rejected it right off the bat. Her trial is set to begin on December 15. During the alleged incident, Dugan is said to have directed an illegal immigrant to exit her courtroom through a side door after ICE agents showed up to the courthouse to take him into custody.
According to a report from WPR, Dugan has been charged with obstructing or impeding a proceeding, which is a felony, along with concealing an individual to prevent his discovery and arrest, a misdemeanor. University of Wisconsin Law School professor, John Gross, stated the witnesses for the prosecution will probably testify about Dugan’s conduct on the day of the incident.
“It sounds like they’re (prosecutors) going to call all the law enforcement agents, all of the court personnel, any other … witnesses who were in the hallway, who they were able to identify,” Gross went on to say. A total of 34 jurors have already been struck, leaving 90 potential jurors remaining.
Gross explained that there could be more potential jurors who are excluded from the selection process due to potential bias. “This case has gotten a lot of press,” Gross stated. “It involves immigration enforcement, which is an issue that people tend to feel strongly about one way or another.”
