"Prosecutors allege that Dugan led 31-year-old Eduardo Flores-Ruiz through a back door after she told agents from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to speak to the chief judge about whether they were allowed to arrest people in the courthouse. Assistant US Attorney Keith Alexander alleged that Dugan said she would take the heat for helping Flores-Ruiz, who had appeared in court on a state charge. [The ICE agents] did not expect a judge, sworn to uphold the law, would divide their arrest team and impede their efforts to do their jobs, Alexander said."
"Defence attorney Steven Biskupic, meanwhile, said the judge had no intention of obstructing agents and was following the court's policy in directing them to speak to the chief judge. Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted on charges of obstruction and concealment. Flores-Ruiz was subsequently detained by immigration authorities and deported, officials said. Critics have accused the Trump administration of using Dugan's case to chill opposition among local officials. Many jurisdictions across the country have policies that prevent local authorities from directly coordinating with federal immigration officials."
A criminal trial has begun for Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan on charges that she obstructed immigration enforcement by helping Eduardo Flores-Ruiz evade ICE in a courthouse. Prosecutors say Dugan led Flores-Ruiz through a back door after directing ICE agents to consult the chief judge and told them she would "take the heat" for helping him. The defense says Dugan followed court policy by instructing agents to seek the chief judge. Flores-Ruiz was later detained and deported. The case occurs amid a broader Trump administration push to prosecute local officials it accuses of inhibiting deportation enforcement.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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