Milwaukee judge indicted for helping immigrant evade ICE faces up to 6 years in prison

On Wednesday, Dugan's legal team filed a motion to dismiss the federal case against her. They argued that the government "cannot prosecute Judge Dugan because she is entitled to judicial immunity for her official acts," and that "the government has no basis in law to prosecute her."

The indictment handed down by the grand jury one day prior accused Dugan of "falsely" telling federal officials in April that they needed a warrant to come into her court during a scheduled appearance by Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an undocumented Mexican national who was in court on three misdemeanor battery charges.

Dugan told the officers to proceed to the chief judge's office to obtain a warrant, according to the criminal complaint, and she then escorted Flores-Ruiz through a side door to evade federal agents. 

If found guilty of both charges, Dugan could face up to six years in prison and up to $350,000 in fines.

She will appear in court on Thursday and is expected to enter a plea of not guilty, as indicated by a statement from her legal team on Tuesday.

"Judge 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," her lawyers said, adding that their client further "asserts her innocence and looks forward to being vindicated in court."

Dugan's arrest and criminal charges have become a political lightning rod at a time when the Trump administration has moved to take sweeping actions to crack down on its immigration enforcement priorities. 

Her actions, while controversial, have also attracted an all-star legal defense team to argue in court on her behalf. 

Last month, her defense team tapped former Bush-era solicitor general Paul Clemente to represent her.

Clemente, who was also on Trump's short list of Supreme Court nominees during his first term, is a well-respected litigator who has argued more than 100 cases before the Supreme Court. 

Still, Dugan's actions have also sparked fierce backlash from Trump administration officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who have vowed to hold her accountable for her actions. 

"She will be held accountable for that," Noem told Fox News in an interview Tuesday night. "That was a great decision, coming forward, to recognize that nobody can facilitate breaking the law. 

"We shouldn't be able to allow that in this country, and we need to make sure that even judges are held accountable for their actions," she added.

Fox News's Michael Dorgan and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.