On Friday, federal law enforcement arrested a Wisconsin state judge for allegedly obstructing an immigration arrest at her courthouse. The move is an escalation in the conflict between the Trump administration and local authorities over immigration policies. It also undermines the ability of judiciaries to effectively carry out their duties.
While exactly what happened is still becoming clear, FBI Director Kash Patel asserted on social media that Milwaukee County trial judge Hannah Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from” a man that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was seeking to arrest in her courthouse.
ICE’s own policy changes — which dramatically increased the frequency of immigration arrests in courthouses — set federal law enforcement on a collision course with state courts. These policy changes were made despite ample evidence and clear calls from judges, prosecutors, and others that immigration enforcement in state courthouses makes communities less safe.
