Hey folks — it’s good to be back with you! I just returned from a much-needed break, hiking through the rugged beauty of Utah. There’s nothing like standing under those towering red cliffs and endless blue skies to make you feel small — and to remind you that while politicians come and go, our God reigns forever.

Meanwhile, as I was winding my way through Zion National Park on Friday, back in the real world, news broke that Judge Hannah Dugan had been arrested — charged with allegedly helping an illegal immigrant slip past ICE agents right inside a Milwaukee courthouse.

Yep, you heard that right: a sitting judge, now facing charges for obstructing federal immigration enforcement. It’s like a bad episode of Law & Order: Judicial Sabotage Unit — except this time, it’s not TV drama. It’s real, and it’s a serious mess.

What Actually Happened?

According to the Justice Department, Judge Dugan allowed Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal immigrant — previously deported, back in the country illegally, and now charged with domestic violence — to exit her courtroom through a jury door, allegedly to evade ICE agents waiting outside.

ICE still arrested him eventually, but now the judge herself is facing federal charges for obstruction.

Naturally, this has sparked outrage across the political spectrum. Some call her a hero. Some call her a disgrace. Let’s cut through the noise and get to the truth.

Courthouses Should Be Sanctuaries for Justice

Let’s be fair: some reasonable voices argue that ICE shouldn’t be prowling around courthouses like bounty hunters looking for fugitives.

There’s a good argument to be made that courthouses, like hospitals and churches, should be “sensitive locations” where people can seek justice without fear.

• Victims and witnesses, many of whom might be immigrants themselves, could be too scared to show up and testify.
• Routine civil matters like landlord disputes, child custody cases, and protective orders could get derailed because people fear arrest.

And there’s even a Biblical principle here: in the Old Testament, cities of refuge were designated places where someone accused of a crime could flee for protection and due process (Numbers 35:11-12). The courthouse should be a sanctuary of justice, not fear.

Some legal scholars also point out that ICE did not have a judicial warrant — just an administrative one — which carries less authority. Under American law, that matters.

Federalism — the balance between state and federal power — should mean something. The Tenth Amendment doesn’t give Washington D.C. permission to muscle into every state courthouse with guns blazing.

Judges Aren’t Above the Law

But folks, there’s a massive difference between protecting the sanctity of a courthouse and harboring a criminal.

Eduardo Flores-Ruiz wasn’t some random shoplifter. He wasn’t some scared teenager who overstayed a visa. He had already been deported once. He had illegally re-entered the country — a federal crime under 8 U.S. Code § 1326. And now he was charged with beating someone.

Let’s not sugarcoat it: he was no innocent lamb.

It’s bad enough when politicians tie the hands of law enforcement. It’s ten times worse when a judge — a sworn guardian of the law — actively assists in subverting it.

The job of a judge isn’t to pick favorites. It isn’t to play underground railroad for illegal immigrants. It’s to uphold the law impartially and fairly, even when it’s hard.

Romans 13:1-4 reminds us: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil… for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid.”

When a judge abandons that principle, they invite chaos, not compassion.

And let’s be honest: even if Dugan felt ICE’s presence was unjustified, she had legal and proper channels to raise that issue. She could have filed a complaint, issued a ruling, or demanded a formal judicial warrant.

Sneaking someone out the side door like it’s a heist movie? That’s not noble. That’s reckless.

Was Arresting the Judge Too Extreme?

Some Democrats and liberal commentators immediately cried constitutional crisis when Dugan was arrested. But let’s slow down for a second.

Was it dramatic to arrest a sitting judge? Sure.

Was it necessary to preserve the rule of law? Absolutely.

If we believe in equal justice under law — and not just “justice for my team” — then no one can be above accountability. Not a president. Not a police officer. Not a judge.

If Judge Dugan helped an accused criminal slip away, she must be held to account. Not because we hate her. Not because we love ICE. But because justice demands it.

True Justice Requires Both Mercy and Law

At the end of the day, Judge Hannah Dugan’s actions were a betrayal of both her oath and her God-given duty to uphold the law impartially.

I sympathize with concerns about ICE tactics. I understand the emotional pull to help someone facing a scary system. But Christianity demands both mercy and justice.

Micah 6:8 says: “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”

Notice it says “do justly” first. Judge Dugan forgot that part.

In this case, helping a violent criminal evade lawful authorities was not merciful — it was lawless. And lawlessness, even when dressed up in compassion, leads only to more suffering.

America desperately needs real justice again — justice that is blind to race, wealth, status, and yes, even immigration status. Until we return to that principle, we will continue to erode the very foundations that make this nation a shining city on a hill.