Washington, (EFE).- The FBI arrested on Friday a Wisconsin circuit court judge, accusing her of obstructing the arrest of a Mexican migrant during a court proceeding, in a move that underscores mounting tensions between the Trump istration and the judiciary over immigration enforcement.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the arrest of Judge Hanna Dugan in a post on X (formerly Twitter), claiming she had “intentionally diverted federal agents” attempting to detain an immigrant, identified as Eduardo Flores.
The post was later deleted, but local media confirmed Dugan’s arrest, reporting she remains in federal custody. Specific charges have not been yet made public.
The incident marks a dramatic escalation in ongoing clashes between the federal judiciary and United States President Donald Trump istration’s hardline immigration policies, which have faced repeated legal challenges in recent months.
Federal judges across the country have blocked or delayed several istration measures aimed at increasing the speed and volume of migrant deportations and expulsions.
Among the most controversial is the revived use of the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a centuries-old law being invoked to detain primarily Venezuelan men and transfer them to a high-security prison in El Salvador.
The istration’s legal tactics have drawn sharp criticism from the judiciary and human rights advocates.
The White House has accused some judges of acting in a “subordinate” manner and impeding national security efforts.
Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court allowed deportations to proceed as long as migrants received prior notice and were given “reasonable time” to appeal their cases.
However, the istration has continued attempting to carry out emergency deportation flights to El Salvador, prompting the high court to issue a temporary pause on the program last weekend.
To date, over 200 migrants, mostly Venezuelans, have been transferred to El Salvador’s CECOT facility, a notorious mega-prison criticized for alleged human rights abuses.
Groups like Human Rights Watch have described the transfers as “forced disappearances.”
The Trump istration has defended the deportation by alleging that many of the migrants have ties to criminal gangs such as Tren de Aragua and MS-13, both recently designated as terrorist organizations by the US government.
Yet multiple investigations by media outlets in the US have found that most of those deported have no criminal records.
The deportations are part of a secretive agreement between the US and Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele.
Under the deal, details of which remain largely undisclosed, Washington is expected to pay El Salvador 6 million dollars annually to maintain its prison system and receive deported detainees.
The arrest of Judge Dugan now raises questions about the boundaries of judicial discretion in immigration cases and whether federal law enforcement is overstepping in its effort to implement controversial policies. EFE
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