Judge Monica Isham, who serves on the Sawyer County Circuit Court, sent a fiery email to her colleagues on Saturday, vowing that she would no longer allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to “take anyone out of my courtroom and send them to a concentration camp,” according to a report from Wisconsin Right Now.
Isham, who made history in 2023 as the first Native American elected to the Sawyer County bench, went even further, threatening to stop holding court altogether and to start raising bail money for defendants if action wasn’t taken.
“Enough is enough,” Isham wrote. “I no longer feel protected or respected as a judge under this administration. If there is no guidance and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 of Sawyer County. I will not put myself, my staff, or my community at risk.”
Isham concluded her message with a defiant note:
“If this costs me my job or gets me arrested, then at least I know I did the right thing.”
Judge Dugan Faces Felony Charges
Judge Hannah Dugan, a nearly decade-long veteran of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, is accused of obstruction of justice and concealing a fugitive — namely Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal migrant — following a pre-trial hearing last week.
Dugan made a brief appearance in federal court Friday morning and was released pending trial, with her arraignment scheduled for May 15. She faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
It’s unclear whether she will remain on the bench during the proceedings.
The Man at the Center of the Scandal
Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, 30, reportedly illegally entered the U.S. in 2013, was deported, but later re-entered under unknown circumstances.
According to court documents, Flores-Ruiz is accused of beating a man 30 times during a fight over loud music in Milwaukee, the Journal Sentinel reported.
After a court appearance last week, FBI officials said Judge Dugan “intentionally misdirected” federal agents who were attempting to detain Flores-Ruiz.
Mounting Outrage
The arrest has sparked outrage among conservatives and raised serious concerns about judicial impartiality in immigration enforcement cases.
Meanwhile, Isham’s bold threats to halt court operations have added even more fuel to the fire — intensifying the already growing debate over the politicization of the judiciary in one of America’s key swing states.