Mark Hamill who battled the Empire’s darkness as Luke Skywalker has turned his critical gaze toward what he perceives as an equally troubling force in American politics.
Hamill delivered a stark warning this week after federal agents arrested Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan, declaring on social media: “We have now arrived at the ‘arresting judges’ level of fascism.”
Judge Hannah Dugan, a well-respected figure in the Wisconsin judicial system, was arrested on April 25 and charged with two felonies. Federal prosecutors allege that Dugan obstructed justice and actively helped an undocumented immigrant, Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, evade federal immigration officers. According to reports, Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national facing three misdemeanor battery charges, was scheduled to appear in Dugan’s courtroom for a pretrial hearing.
A team of plainclothes federal officers from the Milwaukee ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Task Force arrived at the courthouse to arrest Flores-Ruiz, who was also subject to deportation. According to the criminal complaint, Judge Dugan allegedly took matters into her own hands, escorting Flores-Ruiz through a restricted courthouse area to help him avoid the federal agents waiting to take him into custody. Witnesses claim Dugan appeared visibly upset and confrontational during the incident, reportedly clashing with the ICE agents and ultimately spiriting Flores-Ruiz out of their reach.
Federal prosecutors had charged Dugan with obstructing a U.S. agency and concealing an individual to prevent an arrest. If convicted, she could face up to six years in prison and a $350,000 fine.
Federal officials, including FBI Director Kash Patel, have painted Dugan’s actions as a clear-cut case of obstruction. “We believe Judge Dugan intentionally misdirected federal agents,” Patel said, emphasizing the seriousness of her alleged conduct. The Justice Department under the Trump administration had already signaled a tough stance against local officials who interfere with federal immigration enforcement, and Dugan’s case seems to fit neatly into that larger narrative.
But critics argue that this is part of a broader trend of politicizing the judiciary. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, for example, accused federal authorities of using “dangerous rhetoric” to undermine the independence of the courts. Whether you see Dugan as a hero or a villain, her case will likely have ripple effects far beyond the Milwaukee courthouse.
Meanwhile, Hamill’s galaxy-spanning career has made him a symbol of hope and resistance, so it’s no surprise that he would weigh in on an issue that feels, in many ways, like a battle between light and dark. But this isn’t a movie, and there’s no script to follow.
Published: Apr 26, 2025 12:33 pm