WISCONSIN JUDGE RESIGNS AFTER CONVICTION FOR BLOCKING IMMIGRANT ARREST AS GOP THREATENS IMPEACHMENT. (PHOTO).

 Wisconsin judge resigns after conviction for blocking immigrant arrest as GOP threatens impeachment

Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan has formally resigned, sending a letter to the governor on Saturday after her recent felony conviction for obstruction stemming from a confrontation with federal immigration officers. Her resignation came as Republican lawmakers were openly preparing impeachment proceedings following her Dec. 19 conviction. The governor’s office confirmed receipt of her letter and indicated the process to fill the vacancy would begin promptly. In her resignation, Dugan reflected on more than a decade on the bench, saying she presided over thousands of cases with a commitment to dignity, fairness, consistency, and courtroom safety, but acknowledged that the criminal case against her had grown into a significant distraction for the court and the public. She argued that the ongoing federal proceedings present serious challenges that, in her view, threaten judicial independence, and said she intended to continue fighting the case both personally and on principle.

The charges against Dugan stem from an incident last April at the Milwaukee County courthouse, when federal immigration officers arrived to arrest 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national who authorities said had reentered the country illegally and was scheduled to appear before Dugan on a state battery charge. Dugan confronted the agents outside her courtroom, objected to their administrative warrant, and directed them to consult with the county’s chief judge. After the agents left the immediate area, she escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney out through a private jury door, though agents later spotted him, pursued him outside the courthouse, and arrested him following a brief foot chase. A federal jury ultimately convicted Dugan of felony obstruction, a case that drew national attention after President Donald Trump cited it while promoting his immigration enforcement agenda, while Democrats argued the prosecution was intended to intimidate the judiciary. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos praised her resignation as constitutionally appropriate, while Democratic officials, including Wisconsin Elections Commission Chair Ann Jacobs, said her departure would allow Milwaukee to have a permanent judge in place while her legal battle continues, describing the decision as difficult but principled.