Wisconsin Judge Threatens Court Shutdown Following Colleague’s Arrest by Federal Authorities
In a dramatic escalation of tensions between state judicial officials and federal immigration authorities, a Wisconsin judge has threatened to halt all court proceedings in protest of the recent arrest of her colleague by federal agents. This development marks what legal experts are calling an unprecedented standoff between state judicial independence and federal immigration enforcement priorities.
Judge Monica Isham’s Ultimatum
Judge Monica Isham of Sawyer County Circuit Court has issued a stark ultimatum to state judicial leadership, declaring her intention to cease all court operations in her jurisdiction unless provided with guidance and support following the arrest of fellow Wisconsin judge Hannah Dugan by federal authorities last week.
In an email sent Saturday to judges across Wisconsin, dramatically titled “Guidance Requested or I Refuse to Hold Court,” Judge Isham made her position unequivocally clear. She stated that she has “no intention of cooperating” with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and would refuse to continue judicial proceedings without assurances regarding judicial autonomy and protection.
“If there is no guidance for us and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County,” Isham wrote in the email, which was subsequently obtained and published by Wisconsin Right Now. “I will not put myself or my staff who may feel compelled to help me or my community in harm’s way.”
