Wisconsin Circuit Judge Monica Isham has warned she may stop holding court in protest of the arrest of Milwaukee County Judge Hannah Dugan on federal charges for helping an illegal immigrant evade the court.

In an email obtained exclusively by Wisconsin Radio Network on April 26, Isham wrote to all state judges: “Guidance requested or I Refuse to Hold Court.”

“I have no intention of allowing anyone to be taken out of my courtroom by ICE and sent to a concentration camp, especially without due process, as BOTH of the constitutions we swore to support requires,” Isham stated. “Should I start raising bail money?”

The intent behind Isham’s question about raising bail money is unclear. Wisconsin law lays out specific conditions under which a judge may increase bail for defendants—concern over ICE activity is not one of them. It’s possible she was referencing raising money to assist Judge Dugan, herself, or others, although Dugan is no longer in custody, as reported by Wisconsin Right Now.

Dugan faces federal felony charges for allegedly helping an illegal immigrant, Eduardo Flores Ruiz, evade federal law enforcement inside the Milwaukee County Courthouse. According to the complaint, Flores Ruiz, who has been previously deported, is accused of three counts of battery and was wanted on a federal warrant.

Isham opened her email with a brief introduction.

“Good morning all. For those of you who do not know me, I am Monica Isham, Sawyer County Circuit Court Judge for Branch 2. I have been in this position less than 2 years. I was elected as the first woman, first Native American, first minority all together (sic), to serve as a circuit court judge in Sawyer County.”

Sawyer County is located in northern Wisconsin.

“I have sworn an Oath to support the Constitution of the United States (sic) and the Constitution of the State of Wisconsin,” the email continued. “Since January 20th I have endured many racial attacks in my court. While on the bench in my courtroom I was called an ‘immigrant,’ I have been told I ‘have no jurisdiction over white people in my county.’ I had a prospective juror loudly proclaim that she would not follow any orders from a brown or black person and that if the defendant were brown or black they would find them guilty.”

Referencing Dugan’s arrest, Isham wrote: “Yesterday, Judge Hannah Dugan of Milwaukee County stood on her Oath in the very building she swore to uphold it and she was arrested and charged with felonies for it. Enough is enough. I no longer feel protected or respected as a Judge in this administration.”

She concluded her message with a warning and a call for direction.

“If there is no guidance for us and no support for us, I will refuse to hold court in Branch 2 in Sawyer County. I will not put myself or my staff who may feel compelled to help me or my community in harms way,” she wrote. “We have a Judicial District 10 meeting on May 9th and I respectfully ask that we be given some guidance by then so we may discuss as a group in District 10. Please forward this along.

If this costs me my job or gets me arrested then at least I know I did the right thing.”

The email is signed, “Monica M. Isham, Sawyer County Circuit Judge branch 2.”

Judge Isham was elected in 2023. She is a member of the Lac Courte Oreilles tribe, where her father previously served as tribal chairman.