A Wisconsin judge is awaiting her arraignment after being arrested by the FBI for allegedly helping a man evade immigration agents. CBS News' Scott Macfarlane reports.

Madison

FBI Arrests Milwaukee County Judge for Obstruction

A Milwaukee County Circuit Judge, Hannah Dugan, has been arrested by the FBI on charges of obstruction. The case involves allegations that Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents in their efforts to arrest an undocumented immigrant in the United States. This arrest culminated in Dugan being handcuffed and taken in by federal agents, as part of an incident photographed and shared by the FBI Director, drawing significant public attention.

The charges against Judge Dugan fall under federal felony obstruction, which can result in fines and imprisonment. Judge Dugan is scheduled to have her arraignment and an initial court appearance, where she will be able to enter her plea. The trial has sparked debate, with some critics arguing that the situation could have been handled administratively, through complaints with the bar or judicial conference, rather than through criminal prosecution.

The case occurs amidst existing tensions between the Trump administration and the judiciary, particularly concerning immigration cases. Public criticisms of judges, including a recent statement by President Trump about the chief judge in Washington D.C.'s federal court, have raised concerns about potential impacts on judicial safety and the principle of separation of powers.



FBI arrests Wisconsin judge

After this, a Wisconsin judge has been arrested by the FBI and charged for allegedly helping an undocumented man avoid arrest. The FBI says Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents away from an immigrant who was in the U.S. illegally and was said to be arrested. CBS News Justice Correspondent Scott McFarlane joins us live at the Department of Justice with more on this case. Scott, I think I was with you at the end of last week. As this news broke, and now that we see what the charges are and how things unfolded, help us understand why this judge has been arrested and if federal agents have the authority to make the arrest as they made it. Yeah, Errol, it's an obstruction charge against Judge Dugan. That's a federal felony, conceivably punishable by a fine and by prison time. She'll have her arraignment on May 15th. She'll have a chance to enter her not guilty plea then and have an initial appearance with a judge. At this point, though, this case is a criminal matter that critics say shouldn't be a criminal matter, that if there's a concern with how a judge is conducting business, there are other remedies short of filing a criminal charge. Administrative remedies, file a complaint with the bar, a complaint with a judicial conference versus going the route of federal criminal prosecution. But not only was Judge Dugan arrested and charged, it was a photographed event. The FBI director on Friday night posted a photo of Dugan in handcuffs being ushered out by federal agents. That level of attention to this case ensures this is now a flashpoint in the ongoing concerns that the Trump administration is leaning heavily, too heavily on the judiciary. And Kash Patel, I believe, the FBI director, issued a social media statement, a tweet about this, and then deleted it. So it kind of speaks to your point on the spotlight. And this is just one of many tension points between the Trump administration and the courts, especially as we look at immigration cases still making their way through the legal system. So big picture, Scott, what is at stake here? It is a broader concern that the public criticisms of judges, for example, here in Washington, D.C., the president has called the chief judge here in the D.C. federal court a radical liberal judge, complaining about the judge's rulings on those Alien Enemies Act deportations from March 15th. The concern is twofold, that if the executive is criticizing the judiciary, it's making the judiciary vulnerable to physical attacks, but also that it's not standing up the separation of powers between the two branches. Presidents have criticized judges before, but there's a concern about the volume of criticisms and several different meanings of the word, of volume. All right, Scott McFarlane at the Justice Department for us. Thank you.

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