A circuit court judge in the US state of Wisconsin has been convicted on a federal charge for deliberately impeding immigration enforcement officers. The jury found Judge Shelley Grogan guilty of harbouring an undocumented immigrant to prevent her arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
Confrontation at the Judge's Home
The case stems from an incident on the evening of October 3, 2024. ICE agents arrived at Judge Grogan's home in Waukesha County with the intent to arrest an undocumented immigrant from Peru who was present at the property. Court testimony revealed that Grogan, who presides over Waukesha County Circuit Court Branch 8, knowingly allowed the individual to hide inside her residence.
Prosecutors presented evidence that the judge actively misled the officers. She initially claimed she was alone and refused the agents entry, despite knowing the immigrant they sought was inside. This obstruction forced the agents to obtain a federal search warrant. When they returned and executed the warrant, they successfully located and detained the individual.
The Legal Repercussions and Sentencing
Following a trial, the jury delivered its verdict on Friday, December 19, 2025. Judge Grogan was convicted on a single felony count of harbouring a non-citizen to shield them from immigration enforcement. The charge carries a potential maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.
Her defence argued that her actions were driven by a belief that the ICE agents' conduct was improper. However, the prosecution successfully established that she knowingly broke federal law to interfere with a lawful operation. The conviction sends a stark message about the boundaries of judicial authority when it conflicts with federal enforcement.
Broader Implications for Judiciary and Immigration
This landmark case raises profound questions about the conduct of sitting judges and the intense political and social debates surrounding immigration policy in the United States. A member of the judiciary, sworn to uphold the law, has now been found guilty of a serious federal crime for directly confronting ICE operations.
The fallout is immediate for Judge Grogan. She has been suspended from her judicial duties pending the outcome of the case. Furthermore, the Wisconsin Judicial Commission has launched its own investigation, which could lead to her removal from the bench. Sentencing is scheduled for a future date, where the court will determine the final penalty for this unprecedented breach of legal ethics and federal statute.
This conviction underscores the ongoing tensions between local sentiments, individual actions, and federal immigration enforcement, placing a sitting judge at the centre of a national controversy.
