Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan pleaded not guilty today to two charges related to accusations she helped an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest by federal immigration officials. 

During the brief hearing at the federal courthouse in Milwaukee, the magistrate judge in the case set a July 9 pretrial hearing and a July 21 trial date. Prosecutors estimated a trial would last about a week.  

Motions are due in the case May 30, responses on June 9 and replies June 16. 

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Outside the courthouse, a crowd that one federal law enforcement officer estimated at about 150 held a rally featuring speakers who condemned Dugan’s arrest and the Trump administration’s immigration policies. Rally-goers joined in chants of, “We are not afraid,” and waved signs with messages such as “Free Judge Dugan,” “Stop Judicial Intimidation,” and “Due Process is a Human Right.” Among scheduled speakers at the rally were state Sen. Chris Larson, D-Milwaukee, Voces de la Frontera Executive Director Christine Neumann-Ortiz and SEIU Wisconsin Executive Director Louis Davis.

A lone man across the street from the rally waved a blue Trump ‘24 flag and wore a red “Make America Great Again” hat.  

Dugan was indicted by a federal grand jury Tuesday. The indictment accuses Dugan of confronting members of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Task Force and falsely telling them they needed a judicial warrant to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a 30-year-old man living in Milwaukee who was facing misdemeanor domestic violence charges, and directing the officers to go to the chief judge’s office. The indictment alleges Dugan directed Flores-Ruiz and his attorney to exit her courtroom through a non-public jury door.Dugan yesterday filed a motion to dismiss the charges, arguing the prosecution is unconstitutional and that she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts.

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