Wisconsin Judge Vows to Defy ICE Arrests from Her Courtroom, Says She’s Ready to Be Arrested
In a stunning act of defiance, Sawyer County Circuit Judge Monica Isham announced she will not allow federal immigration authorities to apprehend illegal aliens from her courtroom, even if it means losing her job or getting arrested.
Judge Isham, who has served less than two years on the bench and is celebrated as the “first woman, first Native American, and first minority” to hold her position in Sawyer County, made her position crystal clear in an email obtained by Wisconsin Right Now.
“Enough is enough. I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support require,” Isham wrote defiantly. She even mused about starting a bail fund in anticipation of potential legal consequences.
With tensions rising following the recent arrest of another Wisconsin judge for obstructing an ICE operation, Isham demanded guidance from the state’s judicial leadership, threatening to refuse holding court if no support is provided: “If there is no guidance for us and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County.”
Ending her message with a flourish, Judge Isham declared, “If this costs me my job or gets me arrested, then at least I know I did the right thing.”
Fallout from the Arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan
Judge Isham’s fiery email comes in the wake of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan’s shocking arrest by the FBI for allegedly aiding an illegal alien to evade ICE custody.
According to an unsealed criminal complaint, Judge Dugan grew visibly angry upon learning that ICE agents were waiting outside her courtroom to arrest Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien charged with domestic violence. Dugan allegedly rushed to expedite Flores-Ruiz’s hearing, directed agents away from the area, and then personally helped the defendant slip out through a restricted “jury door” to avoid capture.
FBI Director Kash Patel stated Judge Dugan had “intentionally misdirected federal agents away from the subject to be arrested at her courthouse,” a violation serious enough to warrant felony charges.
The Department of Justice announced Dugan now faces charges of obstructing proceedings before a U.S. agency, carrying a maximum penalty of five years in prison, and concealing a person to prevent arrest, carrying up to one year in prison.
A Brewing Judicial Crisis
Both Isham’s bold declaration and Dugan’s criminal charges highlight the intensifying friction between federal immigration enforcement and a judiciary increasingly populated by activists willing to flout the law.
The situation also raises urgent questions about the balance of power: Can judges openly defy federal law enforcement operations without consequence? If so, what does it mean for the rule of law in America?
The standoff is set to escalate further as Judge Isham awaits her May 9 Judicial District 10 meeting, where she hopes to rally support from fellow judges—or else, by her own admission, face the consequences of her defiance.
