Illinois judge slams arrest of Wisconsin judge as ‘reminiscent of
Hitler’
[April 30, 2025]
By Catrina Barker | The Center Square contributor
(The Center Square) – An Illinois appellate court judge says the arrest
of Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan was "reminiscent of King George, Hitler
and Mussolini." An Illinois constitutional attorney disagrees.
Judge James Knecht criticized the Trump administration's heavy-handed
courthouse arrest of Dugan.
“The administration practiced jack booted, ham handed, procedures to
arrest Judge Dugan at the courthouse. Reminiscent of King George, Hitler
and Mussolini,” Knecht wrote.
David Shestokas, a constitutional attorney who ran in the Republican
primary for Illinois Attorney General, accused Dugan of defying federal
authority by helping an illegal immigrant avoid Immigration and Customs
Enforcement agents.
“The problem is, she just exhibited her own disrespect for the authority
of the federal government. In terms of providing her with your typical
kind of nonviolent courtesy, you know, we'll give you a call and you can
come and turn yourself in sort-of-thing. She had just demonstrated her
own disrespect for the federal officers,” said Shestokas.
Knecht called the arrest an “overreach.” He suggested the proper
approach would have been to contact Dugan’s chief judge, the court
administrator, and Wisconsin’s chief justice to clarify how state judges
should interact with ICE.
“Am I asking for a judge to receive special treatment? No – Judge Dugan
is being used as an example to strike fear into the heart of state
authorities, judges included,” stated Knecht. “The state judiciary and
the federal authorities are obligated to cooperate. One does not
encourage such cooperation by arresting a judge to punish her for what
may have been a mistake in judgment, or a reaction to the furor over
immigration policy.”
Shestokas said physically arresting the judge is a bit unusual.
“[The federal authorities] were clearly interested in sending a message
… that it didn't matter who you are or what position you hold,” said
Shestokas. “If, in fact, you aided and abetted someone who was lawfully
to be detained by ICE and you interfered with that, you've broken the
law and you're subject to arrest.”
Dugan allegedly led Mexican national Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his lawyer
out a restricted jury door to avoid ICE agents, a route the judge
controls, according to Shestokas.
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Knecht said on social media that he usually sleeps peacefully.
However, he suggested he was awake thinking about Dugan’s arrest.
“I did not sleep well last night. I usually sleep peacefully. I was
thinking about Judge Dugan in Wisconsin,” stated Knecht. “Some
states and cities have laws or policies to not assist federal
authorities such as ICE or FBI – of course, not assisting is not the
same as obstructing. For me, the issue is not what Judge Dugan did
(I do not support how she handled this) but how the authorities
responded.”
In 2023, Knecht received $249,337 in pension benefits from the
Illinois Judges Retirement System.
Shestokas said Knecht’s social media post reflected a call for
judges to be treated with a certain level of respect.
“I have no idea why there was any suggestion that there should be a
consultation with the Wisconsin Supreme Court to determine how
judges are supposed to do things. We know they’re not supposed to
help criminals avoid arrest, prosecution, or detention,” said
Shestokas. “It's not unusual at all to inform the judge that there's
agents of whatever law enforcement agency outside intending to
arrest someone when they leave the courtroom.”
Shestokas said no one uses the jury door without the judge’s
permission, and despite being courteously informed about the planned
arrest, she responded by allegedly breaking the law.
“Judge Duggan was given a heads up that there were agents outside
the courtroom preparing to arrest an individual that was in their
charge with the crime. And after she was given that heads up,
apparently she sent a message to the agents that they should go
visit with the chief judge. And then apparently she took the guy
they wanted outside the side door, out the jury door,” said
Shestokas.
Knecht served as a law clerk to Illinois Supreme Court Justice
Robert C. Underwood from 1973 to 1974, then as an Associate Circuit
Judge from 1975 to 1978, and as a Circuit Judge from 1978 to 1986,
before being elected to the Fourth District Appellate Court in 1986.
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