Second Wisconsin Judge Goes Full Resistance After Arrest of Judge Accused of ICE Obstruction
“I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process, as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires. Should I start raising bail money?”
The FBI’s arrest of a Milwaukee County Circuit Judge for allegedly obstructing ICE from arresting an illegal immigrant who was in her courtroom appears to have sparked a Resistance rebellion in the Wisconsin judicial community.
As Legal Insurrection reported, Judge Hannah Dugan was taken into custody Friday morning after witnesses said she helped Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old man from Mexico, evade an arrest from ICE.
Instead of proceeding with Flores-Ruiz’s pre-trial hearing on three misdemeanor counts of battery and domestic abuse — a hearing where Flores-Ruiz’s alleged victims reportedly were in attendance, Judge Dugan allegedly directed the defendant and his attorney out of her courtroom, and through a side doorway rather than the main courtroom door, where members of ICE were waiting outside for the hearing to conclude.
Though Dugan was released on bond, her arrest prompted the “no one is above the law” left and their media allies to accuse the Trump administration of “authoritarianism,” undermining “our system of checks and balances,” and crossing “a red line.”
As documented by Wisconsin Right Now, Sawyer County Circuit Judge Monica Isham responded to the Dugan incident by writing an email to all Wisconsin state judges on Saturday, where she threatened not to hold court until further guidance was given on the matter, and said she would not comply with ICE arrest orders:
“Guidance requested or I Refuse to Hold Court,” an email she sent after Dugan’s arrest to all Wisconsin state judges says. WRN exclusively obtained the email from a recipient on April 26.
“I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process, as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires. Should I start raising bail money?” Isham wrote.
Isham, who boasted of being “the first woman, first Native American, first minority all together (sic), to serve as a circuit court judge in Sawyer County,” also wrote that “Since January 20th I have endured many racial attacks in my court.” She also claimed that:
I no longer feel protected or respected as a Judge in this administration. If there is no guidance for us and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County. I will not put myself or my staff who may feel compelled to help me or my community in harms way.
Read the full letter below:
A judge in Sawyer County, Wisconsin, Monica Isham, is threatening not to hold court because of Hannah Dugan’s arrest. She also wrote that she has “no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp” and she is threatening to… pic.twitter.com/TRHFA44PXq
— Wisconsin Right Now (@wisconsin_now) April 26, 2025
I think that is a "Resignation Letter." https://t.co/3imMGEpucP
— Shipwreckedcrew (@shipwreckedcrew) April 26, 2025
Monica Isham is choosing to protect illegal aliens over the law.
She should resign or be removed. https://t.co/P9ObVogwNi
— Rep. Tom Tiffany (@RepTiffany) April 26, 2025
Voters in Sawyer County should proceed with collecting signatures for a recall election if Judge Isham refuses to do her job. https://t.co/QdCOtI0pnF
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) April 27, 2025
Take note of the language used.
Isham referenced January 20th because that, of course, was when Donald Trump was inaugurated for his second term. We’re supposed to believe that she never faced alleged racial discrimination in her judicial career (she was elected during the Biden-Harris administration) until that moment.
Secondly, the use of the word “concentration camp” is definitely a flashing red sign that this judge is woke. As LI readers will recall, the term was used often by Democrats, most notably by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and her fellow “Squad” members, in 2019 during Trump’s first term in office to describe illegal immigrant detention centers at the southern border.
It was also used in the manifesto of a man who attacked a Tacoma ICE detention center that same year using incendiary devices and who was shot and killed by police in a shootout.
In other words, this isn’t just a procedural “let’s get things clarified for future reference” issue for Isham. It’s about ideological disagreement with President Trump’s illegal immigration policy, which she, in her capacity as a jurist, is now vowing to thwart either by refusing to hold court, raising bail on defendants, and/or possibly pulling an (alleged) Dugan move by letting them evade ICE arrest.
As I’ve said before, thanks to leftists, including those in the judiciary, having severe cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome, we’re on a dangerous collision course and a dark path if cooler heads and the Rule of Law don’t eventually prevail. I legitimately fear for our country right now, and while I don’t have all the answers, the problems are making themselves even easier to identify.
-Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym “Sister Toldjah” and can be reached via Twitter/X.-
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Comments
I might of missed it, but is being a lesbian part of her minority bonafides?
You looking for a date?
He’s just trying to figure out how teeny-weenie a “Democrat first” intersectionality trophy can be made, and yet still be perceivable.
It does seem to be a pretty common factor in these leftwing activist females. Not being part of that lifestyle myself, I don’t know whether or not its obligatory.
It;s just another box they can check to increase their perceived victim level.
ICE cannot arrest defendants inside a courtroom!
> ICE arrests defendants outside a courtroom. <
OMG. This constitutional crisis is so dire I refuse to do my job!
We cannot share a country with these people.
As noted in my comments to the previous post on this topic (“Democrats Burn Their ‘No One is Above the Law’ Cards”), the ICE and FBI agents very clearly agreed with the Chief Judge of that courtroom that the arrest would be made only after the “alleged” perp had his court hearing, and in the public hallway outside of the courtroom. This was made clear in their affidavit supporting the charges against the first judge.
It’s amazing that this woman was able to become a judge despite her rather obvious illiteracy, or, at best, extremely poor reading comprehension. I’m guessing that she probably simply checked off the maximal number of boxes that had to be filled in.
It’s not that she doesn’t understand. It’s that she is a lying c”nt.
Just like all the other leftists hacks in robes, she thought she was immune from consequences.
She was elected. As far as I can tell the only qualification required is to have been licensed to practice law in Wisconsin for five years.
And I’m questioning the validity of that single requirement, now.
Everyone should get on X and pile on. The fruit there is extremely low-hanging. Ratio all the Senators and Representatives who are spouting nonsense and as many who are in agreement for which you have the patience.
For instance, many followers are saying the arrest is a “threat to our democracy” (I told you, low-hanging fruit). I’ve replied to them, “In what democracy do you live in which those who break the law aren’t arrested? Every democracy of which I’m aware arrests those who break the law.”
Perhaps we can share El Salvador with them.
I know you know this, and were simply making a point, but just to make it clear, yes they can. The agents in the Dugan case chose not to, so as not to disrupt the proceeding, but if being nice and waiting outside stops working for them then they’ll start coming in and cutting the proceeding short. Or just waiting in the visitors’ gallery until the person leaves, through any door.
Judges, and for that matter other public officials like her are why – more and more – I find myself looking for the white Christian males don the ballot. Back when they were in office, things were a bit more consistent, if not a good deal more common-sense-ical.
Obviously, there are exceptions, but I’ve been advocating WASPs over any other bug people for a long time. The level of malignant malcontents we’ve allowed to infest our nation is frightening. The voters are the real problem.
Ike was president when I was born, and 2025 is like living on another planet with an atmosphere so toxic it requires an extreme level of personal protection to merely survive.
How does one convey to the younguns the slendor that was lost during the previous 60 years without incurring a derisive ‘OK Boomer’ in retort?
You care about OK Boomer any more than racist, fascist, or nazi? Why bother?
The insult is not the point. I don’t care – just don’t call me late for dinner.
A fish only knows water, and it’s impossible to educate them on the splendor fresh air. Similarly, the youth who only know the toxic environment of a hostile planet are very hard to educate about the splendor of a once great society called the USA.
There is something better. How does one convey that?
Send them to live in the country closest to what they claim to champion.
My retort… you are living in the life created by the Boomer generation.
As a member of the latch key generation (that which falls between the end of the Boomers and the beginning of Gen X), I am fully aware of the generation that gave us so much, and ignoring us even more.
Sgt, respectfully, there is no generation between the Boom Generation and Gen X. Being a latch key kid is a marker of being part of Gen X.
FWIW, my opinion is that the vast majority of our institutions were made or remade in the image of the GI Generation when they took over in the 1960s. As the Boom Generation aged into roles of greater responsibility they largely continued the outward forms of those institutions while essentially hollowing them out to the point they were no longer fit for purpose.
I agree with HALO Master Chief, because I’m definitely not a Boomer and I never was an X. But I think the 1965 group was called the SlugButt Generation…
If I were to decide to no longer do my job, pretty soon I would not have that job any more.
You likely are not in “civil” “service”. You have a REAL job.
Gotta agree with shipwreckedcrew, refusing to perform the duties of the office sure seems like a resignation.
Yep. And not even something worthy of recall or other silliness. She wrote a resignation email:
I refuse to do the job for which I was elected, within the confines of the law.
So, you stop her paycheck change the locks on her chambers, and revoke her courthouse ID/passkey. When she wants to know, you tell her, “Well, you sent a resignation email out to the whole courthouse…”.
Just recall her and be done with it.
Letting criminals escape justice out the back door makes her a hero to the left apparently.
It’s literally “constituent service.”
Her hero status is why she should be crucified, make her an example.
Monica went full retard. Never go full retard.
To be fair she was always a full retard.
That seems unfair.
I don’t think so. She was always this way and is just now revealing it through her hissy fit,
To the local populace, most certainly.
Deport judges too.
Cover their body in gang tattoos first.
First, make sure they’re real unpopular gangs.
“Gromit, it’s the wrong trousers! And they’ve gone all wrong!”
Perfect activist: bold, meaningful, action oriented, and self-victimizing.
A conservative defendant should hope they don’t have to ever go before this judge. She highlights the problem of going to the just going to the unjust for justice.
“She highlights the problem of the just going to the unjust for justice.”
I blame the family that was to testify against the domestic violence-charged illegal alien. If they had simply refused to testify, the “Milwaukee man” wouldn’t have been in court and ICE wouldn’t have tried to apprehended him. Shame on them. /s
That judge should have been impeached if only for screwing the victims out of their day in court.
I’d like to see her impeached AND removed from office.
If you read the federal charging papers regarding the Dugan incident you’d find that (1) the ICE enforcement officials never had any intention of taking the subject in question out of the courtroom. They agreed to wait in the public areas (i.e.. the hallway outside the courtroom) and take him into custody after the hearing had concluded; (2) there are no concentration camps they are being sent to; and (3) the subject in the Dugan incident had reportedly had numerous encounters with the judicial system, I’ve read he went before a judge at least 17 times at taxpayer expense, so he had ample “due process” and lost his case and was ordered deported.
AND he had previously been deported (IIRC back when Obama was President), and re=entered the country illegally again.
Note that arrest warrants issued by (Article II) immigration courts are now being considered “invalid,” while in the Garcia case an Article III judge is trying to hold the administration responsible for violating an “order” from an immigration court, an admission that orders and warrants of Art. II courts are valid and enforceable (by someone, see below).
My position is that an Article III judge has no business attempting to enforce an order from an Article II court, and that a warrant from an Article II court is binding on persons subject to the jurisdiction of said court. Any interference with orders or warrants of Article II courts by Article III judges is a violation of the separation of powers. If Article II enforcement personnel ignore an order from an Art. II court, that’s a matter for officials in the executive branch to sort out. Art III judges have has much authority to interfere with Art II courts as Trump has to interfere with Art III district courts (which answer to SCOTUS, as immigration courts ultimately answer to the POTUS).
Although the immigration court’s warrant wasn’t binding upon Judge Dugan, the warrant still has the force of law and interference with officers attempting to execute the warrant is still a crime (and this even if Dugan had the authority to ignore the warrant had she been hearing a case in which the validity of the warrant in question was part of the controversy, because Dugan’s actions were not part of her functions on the bench).
Forgive my non-attorney’s understanding of all of this, but Dugan is a Wisconsin state judge. Essentially, to use a biological hierarchical model, she would be lower on the food chain than a federal official using the Supremacy Clause (Article IV, Clause 2), meaning that at least in my understanding Dugan has no authority to interfere in federal matters at all. How does this all work?
Simple solution…since HER courtroom is a sanctuary perhaps it should be flooded with those seeking asylum.
Cover her up with work.
If she won’t do her job, she must resign or be fired. She appears to know this but wants to create a spectacle first.
Spectacle is created. Now go!
Judge Monica Isham should be put under a microscope, I bet she has already broke many laws.
Yes Monica. You should start saving for bail money. May I suggest an OnlyFans page? Apparently that what all the “wise” girls do.
Well Silly me! I just looked the dishonorable judge up. Of course she’s a “marginalized person.”
Apparently, now we get to have certain judges who decide what laws the will adjudicate and those they won’t.
We don’t need jury nullification. We have judicial nullification.
Perhaps we expect that any tribal defendant going before her will be let off without a sentence, but white people better beware.
Then we can expect that black judges will nullify any cases against blacks.
Then we can expect Asian judges will nullify any cases against Asians.
The only people who can expect to be held accountable table is whitey!
Regarding the “bail” comment: I think she meant – “Should I start raising bail money” – FOR MYSELF – for when she is inevitably arrested by ICE agents for helping some criminal illegal alien attempt to escape ICE agents with a valid WARRANT to arrest him/her.
Won’t happen. She won’t work until she gets clarification from her boss (so the boss can be blamed not her). Boss won’t put on neck on the line, so she’s quit the job.
No need to raise bail money, but if she does, she should not lie to donors when it’s actually for her groceries and rent, since she’s just made herself unemployed.
Yes, I believe that is a given that that os what she was talking about, raising her own bail money.
I think we should preemptively lobby for no bail as she appears to be a terrorist risk to our society.
Concentration camps have due process? Wow. Who knew? I am willing to bet the judge also believe food comes form Uber Eats or Doordash instead of yucky farms run by those uncouth Deplorable farmers destroying the environment, or something.
At any rate, the two most recent examples of concentration camps on American soil are the Japanese interment camps and the J6 gulag – both run and hotly defended by the judge’s Communist Party. Wasn’t much due process at either place that anyone could see, but then again I am not as smart as Sawyer County Judge Sugarboobs.
Eh. The Chief or President judge (or whatever it’s called in Wisconsin) for the circuit should just transfer all her cases to the rest of the judges in the circuit and leave her with an empty docket. Her colleagues would grow to despise her.
Must do it whether others despise her or not. She’s not working and the cases have to be heard, so reallocate them. If you can get another judge in there, give her courtroom to that judge.
People are allowed to quit their jobs. She’s quit. It happens.
People are allowed to quit their jobs. She’s quit.
QFT
I respect her for not cheating but asking for guidance. I think the matter is simple — obviously you must cooperate and not obstruct ICE — but if she can’t see that, then she can not show up to to work. She’s quit, so reallocate her docket, replace her, etc.
Judges like her cause prolonged suffering for victims, alleged or not.
If she ,Monica Isham, does not show up for work do what most companies do. No work No pay! We have laws against illegal immigration. ICE is doing their job to enforce those laws. If Dugan or Isham can’t agree with those laws they need to step down. America is fed up with government officials who think they are above the law and that IS what 70% of law abiding citizens voted for in 2024.
Further proof that Democrats are the party of the criminally insane.
I don’t believe a word of that.
I do believe she has heard some things like that. There are stupid people all over America.
I don’t believe they have come solely since Jan 20th, or that they have been as explicit as that nor as numerous as she claims. (That claim about the potential juror is really believable; people will do just about anything to get out of jury duty and that would be a clear disqualification.)
#2 does sound like something a “sovereign citizen” is likely to claim… and they tend to show up in court a lot. That, and the flag fringe.
What is wrong with the chief judge, that he hasn’t suspended Dugan, or accepted this idiot’s letter as a resignation. If you refuse to do the work, then you’ve either resigned, or you should be fired
“All together” is correct.
The grammar Nazi who objected is altogether wrong.
We’re in this all together, don’t you know.
The judge says she’s in of those intersections which are all together (all of them present at once in her) embodied in her
We’re in this altogether too deep.
Judges that break the law should be hung for treason. Sounds “extreme” to the weak but they are supposed to uphold the law. They can take an individual’s life away because often they are the final arbiters of justice. In these cases, there is no justice.