Judicial chaos is brewing in Wisconsin, where liberal Sawyer County Judge Monica Isham has threatened to suspend her courtroom operations in protest over the recent arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan — a fellow jurist now facing serious federal charges for allegedly helping an illegal immigrant avoid arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
According to Wisconsin Right Now, Isham sent a fiery email to fellow judges across the state, vowing to shut down her court and even raise bail money for defendants if no guidance or support is offered by the state’s judicial administration. Her incendiary language compared ICE actions to sending individuals to “concentration camps,” a jarring accusation that underscores just how politically charged the judiciary has become.
“Enough is enough,” Isham declared. “I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County,” she warned, citing a lack of protection and respect for judges under the current administration. She added defiantly, “If this costs me my job or it gets me arrested, then at least I know I did the right thing.”
The flashpoint for this dramatic rebellion stems from the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, who federal authorities say deliberately misled ICE agents in her courtroom last week to help Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant with an outstanding deportation order, slip away.
Flores-Ruiz, according to reports from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, was involved in a violent assault after someone confronted him about loud music — a serious public safety concern on top of his immigration violations.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed Friday that Dugan “intentionally misdirected federal agents away” from Flores-Ruiz. She now faces charges of obstruction of justice and concealing a person from arrest, with a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison if convicted.
Despite the gravity of the charges, Dugan was briefly released after a preliminary hearing when prosecutors declined to request pre-trial detention. It remains unclear whether she will be placed on leave while the case works its way through the court system.
Judge Isham’s reaction points to a growing rift within the judiciary — a clash between judges who see their role as impartial arbiters of the law and those who view their bench as a platform for political resistance.
Her threat to suspend court proceedings entirely is an extraordinary escalation, injecting open defiance into a judicial system already grappling with political tensions.
