04-28-2025, 12:27 PM
I came across a full discussion of this incident which indicates to me that prosecuting this judge isn’t going to succeed.
You can read the whole thing here, but in a nutshell:
-The policy of how ICE could/should detain people who were called to the courthouse for their cases was being developed (not finalized yet) by the Chief Judge, who was not there that day. Judge Dugan asked ICE to call him and consult with him.
-She believed that the policy was/would be that federal agents needed a criminal, not administrative, warrant.
-She postponed the proceedings and walked with the man wanted by ICE and his lawyer to the same door they came in by.
-Leaving Dugan, those two then walked by an ICE agent on their way to the elevator bank closest to the parking lot. An ICE agent rode with them in that elevator, while another called for a group of ICE agents to intercept them when they exited the courthouse.
-The ICE agents were in plainclothes. This (unfortunately) is becoming their standard MO, looking for all the world to bystanders as a kidnapping.
-Also, the one previous case where a judge was charged in this way (in 2019, and which had a more solid basis) was ultimately dropped.
You can read the whole thing here, but in a nutshell:
-The policy of how ICE could/should detain people who were called to the courthouse for their cases was being developed (not finalized yet) by the Chief Judge, who was not there that day. Judge Dugan asked ICE to call him and consult with him.
-She believed that the policy was/would be that federal agents needed a criminal, not administrative, warrant.
-She postponed the proceedings and walked with the man wanted by ICE and his lawyer to the same door they came in by.
-Leaving Dugan, those two then walked by an ICE agent on their way to the elevator bank closest to the parking lot. An ICE agent rode with them in that elevator, while another called for a group of ICE agents to intercept them when they exited the courthouse.
-The ICE agents were in plainclothes. This (unfortunately) is becoming their standard MO, looking for all the world to bystanders as a kidnapping.
-Also, the one previous case where a judge was charged in this way (in 2019, and which had a more solid basis) was ultimately dropped.