- 18 U.S.C. §1505: Makes it a federal crime to corruptly obstruct or impede the due administration of law under any department or agency of the United States.
- 18 U.S.C. §1071: Criminalizes concealing or harboring any person to prevent their arrest.
By allegedly aiding Flores-Ruiz, Dugan directly obstructed ICE’s execution of a valid administrative warrant — an act that federal prosecutors deem a direct affront to immigration enforcement efforts, and national security.
The FBI affidavit describes how Dugan, upon learning of ICE’s presence, “left the bench” in anger, conspired with another judge to divert ICE agents to the Chief Judge’s office, and then secretly ushered the defendant and his attorney through restricted courthouse areas.
The gravity here is multifold: not only was a dangerous defendant temporarily able to evade custody, but the trust placed in the judiciary to act impartially and uphold the law has been deeply shaken.
The Department of Justice’s memo from January 2025 explicitly ordered prosecutors to pursue charges against any state or local officials impeding federal law.
Dugan’s arrest may signal a turning point.
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