For years, Democrats have wielded the phrase “no one is above the law” like a cudgel, particularly when it suited their political vendettas against Donald Trump and other political opponents.
Of course, they never really meant it. “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” (George Orwell). Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Hillary Clinton, Anthony Fauci, and other “allies” are above the law — as are illegal aliens (amazingly).
But never let hypocrisy get in the way of a good talking point, right?
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During his first term, they chanted it as they pushed the Russia collusion hoax, impeachment circuses, and endless investigations built on evidence so weak that if I had to choose between standing on a wet paper towel suspended over the Grand Canyon or their evidence, I would choose the paper towel.
When Trump was out of office, their zeal only intensified. New York Attorney General Letitia James campaigned on a promise to “get” Trump, weaponizing her office to pursue civil fraud cases built on shaky grounds. Special Counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Biden Department of Justice, went after Trump with indictments over classified documents and January 6 cases that many legal scholars argued were more about politics than justice.
The left’s mantra was clear: Trump, his supporters, and anyone who dared challenge their narrative must be held accountable, no matter how flimsy the charges or how selective the enforcement.
Now, with the arrest of Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan by the FBI on April 25, the tables have turned. The same principle that Democrats championed applies, and it’s being enforced against one of their own.
No one is above the law — not even a judge.
The Facts: Dugan aided an illegal alien in evading arrest
The FBI arrested Judge Dugan on felony charges of obstruction of justice and concealing an individual to prevent arrest, stemming from her actions on April 18, at the Milwaukee County Courthouse.
According to a criminal complaint unsealed by the U.S. Justice Department, Dugan deliberately interfered with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempting to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national illegally in the United States.
Flores-Ruiz, previously deported in 2013, faced misdemeanor battery charges in a domestic abuse case and was scheduled to appear in Dugan’s courtroom. ICE agents, armed with an administrative warrant, waited in the courthouse hallway to detain him after his hearing.
What followed was a brazen act of defiance against federal law.
Court documents reveal that Dugan, upon learning of the ICE agents’ presence, became “visibly angry” and called the situation “absurd.” She confronted the agents, demanding they produce a judicial warrant — a requirement she knew was unnecessary for ICE’s administrative action. When the agents explained their authority, Dugan misdirected them to the chief judge’s office, a deliberate attempt to distract them.
While the agents complied, she then escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a restricted jury door, bypassing the public exit where ICE waited.
This wasn’t a mistake; it was a calculated effort to help an illegal alien evade arrest. The affidavit notes that only deputies, juries, court staff, and in-custody defendants typically use this exit, making Dugan’s actions highly unusual and intentional.
Flores-Ruiz’s temporary escape — lasting about 22 minutes before agents chased him down on foot — put both the community and law enforcement at risk. FBI Director Kash Patel stated, “The Judge’s obstruction created increased danger to the public.”
Dugan’s charges are rooted in federal law: 18 U.S.C. § 1505 “forbids anyone from corruptly, or by threats of force or by any threatening communication, influencing, obstructing, or impeding any pending proceeding before a department or agency of the United States” and carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Additionally, 18 U.S.C. § 1071 prohibits concealing a person from arrest, which adds up to another year in jail.
The DOJ’s complaint is clear: Dugan didn’t just fail to cooperate; she actively thwarted federal immigration enforcement, violating her oath to uphold the law.
Attorney General Pam Bondi underscored this during an interview on Fox News, stating,
“No one’s above the laws in this country … and if you are destroying evidence, if you’re obstructing justice, when you have victims sitting in a courtroom of domestic violence and you’re escorting a criminal defendant out a back door, it will not be tolerated, and it is a crime in the United States of America. Doesn’t matter who you are, you’re going to be prosecuted.”
Since her arrest, the Wisconsin Supreme Court has also suspended her. This is noteworthy since the Wisconsin Supreme Court is controlled by a liberal majority. According to the AP, “In its two-page order, the court said it was acting to protect public confidence in Wisconsin courts during the criminal proceedings against Dugan.”
This is not overreach, this is justice.
A powerful message: The rule of law is back
The arrest of a sitting judge for lawless actions sends a powerful message: Judges are not above the law. For too long, some black-robed jurists have acted as untouchable oligarchs, issuing rulings that defy precedent, logic, or the will of the people while cloaking their activism in judicial immunity.
The Founders envisioned a government of checks and balances, where no branch — executive, legislative, or judicial — could wield unchecked power. James Madison warned in The Federalist No. 47 that the accumulation of power in any one branch “may justly be pronounced the very definition of tyranny.”
When judges like Dugan place themselves above federal law, they undermine the separation of powers and erode the republic’s foundation.
If judges can flout immigration laws with impunity, what stops them from nullifying other statutes or constitutional protections?
This isn’t hypothetical. In 2019, Boston Judge Shelley Joseph faced similar obstruction charges for helping a twice-deported illegal immigrant evade ICE. Though the federal charges were dropped in 2022, it was only after Judge Joseph agreed to submit to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct; in June, she will be subject to a public hearing as part of the process.
In a scathing 111-page report, the Commission “charges that Judge Joseph has engaged in willful judicial misconduct that brought the judicial office into disrepute, as well as conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and unbecoming a judicial officer.”
Like Joseph, so with Dugan: Her arrest is a necessary corrective, a reminder that the judiciary serves the law — not the other way around.
Arresting lawless judges isn’t ‘Fascism, it’s Christian
The Bible reinforces the principle of equal justice under the law, a cornerstone of both Christian and American values.
Leviticus 19:15 commands, “You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.” This verse rejects favoritism, whether for the powerful or the marginalized, demanding impartiality.
Similarly, Deuteronomy 16:19 warns, “You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.” Dugan’s actions — shielding an illegal alien while obstructing federal agents — perverted justice by favoring ideology over duty.
Proverbs 28:5 adds, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.” True justice, as Scripture teaches, applies the law consistently, regardless of status, wealth, or office.
When a judge like Dugan acts as if her robe grants her immunity, she defies not only human law but divine principle. The Trump administration’s willingness to hold her accountable aligns with this biblical call for righteousness in governance.
Democrats are outraged. Spare us, please
Democrats and their allies are predictably outraged, calling Dugan’s arrest an assault on judicial independence. Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers accused the Trump administration of “undermining our judiciary at every level.” U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore, D-Wisc., labeled it “shocking” and “overreach.” But their protests ring hollow.
Where was their concern for judicial integrity when they cheered the politicized prosecutions of Trump? Where was their outrage when Biden’s DOJ targeted political opponents? The left’s selective indignation exposes their hypocrisy: “No one is above the law” apparently applies only to those they dislike.
Dugan’s arrest isn’t about punishing dissent; it’s about enforcing accountability. If judges can obstruct federal law without consequence, then the rule of law is a sham, and the American people are subject to the whims of unelected elites.
The broader context of Dugan’s actions cannot be ignored. The Trump administration has prioritized immigration enforcement, responding to a crisis that saw over 2.5 million apprehensions of migrants at the southern border in 2023 alone, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Illegal immigration strains communities, burdens taxpayers, and, in cases like Flores-Ruiz’s, can intersect with criminality.
Judges who aid and abet illegal aliens undermine national sovereignty and public safety. And Joseph and Dugan’s cases aren’t isolated; just one day prior, to Dugan’s arrest, federal authorities arrested a former New Mexico judge and his wife for allegedly harboring an illegal immigrant linked to the Tren de Aragua gang. In response to these charges, Cano has been “permanently banned from the bench by his colleagues, according to state Supreme Court documents.”
If you’re keeping count, that’s three lawless judges who are being held accountable for breaking the law, subverting America’s national sovereignty, and making a mockery of our judicial system and the very Constitution they are sworn to uphold.
Trump is clearly not just trying to “take revenge” on judges who disagree with his policies; he is trying to defend the Constitution and the American people. Because at the end of the day, these are not victimless crimes but deliberate acts that erode trust in our institutions.
A new sheriff is in town
Trump’s DOJ, under leaders like Bondi and Patel, is signaling a new era of accountability. The January 2025 memo from Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Emil Bove directed prosecutors to pursue charges against local officials who obstructed immigration enforcement, citing laws against conspiracy and harboring.
This isn’t authoritarianism; it’s the executive branch fulfilling its constitutional duty to enforce federal law. The arrest of Hannah Dugan is a bold step toward restoring the rule of law, ensuring that even those in high office face consequences for breaking it.
This isn’t tyranny, this is a victory — a reminder that justice, when applied equally, strengthens the nation. Let the left cry foul; their double standards no longer hold sway.
No one is above the law, including Judge Hannah Dugan.
Good.
Originally published at the Standing for Freedom Center.
William Wolfe is a visiting fellow with the Center for Renewing America. He served as a senior official in the Trump administration, both as a deputy assistant secretary of defense at the Pentagon and a director of legislative affairs at the State Department. Prior to his service in the administration, Wolfe worked for Heritage Action for America, and as a congressional staffer for three different members of Congress, including the former Rep. Dave Brat. He has a B.A. in history from Covenant College, and is finishing his Masters of Divinity at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Follow William on Twitter at @William_E_Wolfe
