Statement on the Arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan

(MADISON)—Today, Senator Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee) issued the following statement in response to the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan on April 25th by the Trump administration:

I was absolutely shocked to hear about the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, a well-respected member of our community who has spent her legal career looking out for the least among us.

All Judge Hannah Dugan did was stand up to protect the American principal of due process.

There was absolutely no reason for FBI agents to confront Judge Dugan in public, arrest her and put her in handcuffs. This was clearly a deliberate attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate state judges across the country. Although Trump has faced charges and been found guilty, he was never put in handcuffs.

This brazen display of rogue federal power is incompatible with the sovereignty of our states and is another serious attack on our constitutional order by the Trump administration. It is a direct assault on the independence of the judiciary, and on every citizen who depends on fair and impartial justice.

The FBI’s arrest of Judge Dugan was to set an example to anyone who dares to question Trump’s dictatorial power. It risks turning courthouses into places of fear rather than centers of justice, making it harder for prosecutors to hold people accountable and for victims of crime to get justice. I refuse to let justice in Wisconsin become another casualty of the Trump administration’s war against the rule of law.

That’s why I coauthored legislation with Representative Ortiz-Velez that would prohibit the detention of individuals in sensitive places such as courthouses, schools, churches, daycares, and healthcare facilities without a judicial warrant. This bill defends one of the U.S. Constitution’s core safeguards by respecting Wisconsin’s sovereignty and protecting our state’s interest in keeping people secure in sensitive places. If federal agents want to intrude on these sensitive places, they will have to prove their case to a judge. The ICE agents who sought to make an arrest of a defendant in Judge Dugan’s court did not have a judicial warrant.

President Trump wants our immigrant neighbors to feel like there are no safe places within our communities, and he is threatening officials like Judge Dugan who would protect our constitutional right to due process.

Donald Trump is a fool to take on Judge Dugan and the Milwaukee community. In Wisconsin, we look out for our neighbors, we respect the rule of law, demand due process, defend our constitution, and we will not be intimidated.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.