Overview
- Judge Hannah Dugan was arrested on April 25 and indicted on May 13 for allegedly obstructing ICE agents attempting to detain Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented immigrant facing domestic abuse charges.
- Newly released courtroom footage reportedly shows Dugan directing Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer to use a private exit, allowing him to evade arrest temporarily before being apprehended by agents outside the courthouse.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi has defended the prosecution, asserting that no one is above the law and warning against harboring undocumented immigrants.
- The case has deepened partisan divides, with Democrats criticizing the arrest as an attack on judicial independence and Republicans praising it as a stand against activist judges.
- Judge Dugan, who denies the allegations, is suspended from her duties as she awaits trial scheduled for July 21, highlighting ongoing conflicts between judicial autonomy and aggressive federal immigration policies.