Several top Democrats have condemned the FBI’s arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan.
On Friday, FBI director Kash Patel announced that Judge Dugan had been arrested on charges of obstruction after evidence emerged that she had assisted an undocumented immigrant in evading arrest in her courthouse.
An attorney for Dugan said in a statement, “Hannah C. Dugan has committed herself to the rule of law and the principles of due process for her entire career as a lawyer and a judge. Judge Dugan will defend herself vigorously and looks forward to being exonerated.”
Since news of her arrest broke, several top Democrats have taken to social media to voice their concerns about what the arrest means for the rule of law under the Trump administration.
My statement regarding the arrest of a Milwaukee County judge today. pic.twitter.com/gU50NFcwHu
— Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) April 25, 2025
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers wrote, “We have seen in recent months the president and the Trump Administration repeatedly use dangerous rhetoric to attack and attempt to undermine our judiciary at every level… I will continue to put my faith in our justice system as this situation plays out in a court of law.”
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called the decision to arrest Judge Dugan a “gravely serious and drastic move,” that “threatens to breach” the separation of power between the branches of government.
Wisconsin State Senator Chris Larson described Patel’s “true goal” as being “to intimidate other judges into complying with this admin’s authoritarian goals,” while Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson called the arrest “overly dramatic” and expressed concern that such moves only “drive away people from participating in legitimate courthouse activities.”
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley also condemned the arrest, writing that he was “extremely concerned about the Trump administration’s continued intention to instill fear and hostility across our community,” adding that his office will “continue to seek legal clarity” as the situation evolves.
Let’s be clear. Trump’s arrest of Judge Dugan in Milwaukee has nothing to do with immigration. This latest attack is about one thing: unchecked power. It is time for my colleagues in the Republican Party to stand up to his growing authoritarianism. pic.twitter.com/Wn4zfjrSxW
— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) April 25, 2025
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) called upon his colleagues in the Republican Party to “stand up” to Trump’s “growing authoritarianism,” arguing that the arrest of Judge Dugan is about “one thing—unchecked power,” and that Trump “continues to demonstrate that he does not believe in the Constitution, the separation of powers, or the rule of law.”
Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Dems, Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), said in a statement that “every American should be deeply troubled by this massive escalation,” and described the arrest as an “unmistakable descent further into authoritarian chaos.”
Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) felt similarly, taking to X with a much more concise statement that read, “Trump’s playbook is simple: punish anyone who stands in his way. This ain’t law and order—it’s a rise of authoritarianism in real time.”
The FBI arrested a Wisconsin judge who stood up for due process for immigrants. This is unprecedented. All of us need to stand up and speak out against arresting judges in this country. We are living in dangerous times. pic.twitter.com/xkdoRLNbTT
— Rep. Ro Khanna (@RepRoKhanna) April 25, 2025
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) posted a video to social media calling the arrest a move “without any historical precedent” and “truly terrifying,” calling for “every person who cares for the rule of law and freedom” to speak out, while Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA) characterized the arrest as being “straight out of the authoritarian playbook” and an attack on justice.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said on X, “Arresting judges cannot be the new normal in America,” asserting that it is “incumbent on all of us to uphold and protect the constitution.”
A statement released on social media by Sen. Andy Kim (D-NJ) called the arrest an “extreme use of federal law enforcement” and another example of intimidation “being used to stoke fear in immigrant communities and create chaos in our legal system,” while Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said, “This what dictators do to undermine the rule of law and consolidate their own power.”
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) also took to social media with a statement, arguing that Trump’s “all-out assault on our democracy and rule of law” won’t stop with immigration enforcement—rather, “this will be Trump’s playbook for punishing judges when they don’t fall in line.” He ended his statement with a call for everyone to “stand up to ensure that these attempts to threaten and intimidate the judiciary into submission will not succeed.”
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