Bucking the trend for woke mainstream media journalists, CNN crime and justice correspondent Katelyn Polantz defended the arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan. The FBI captured the jurist after she allegedly misled federal agents as to the location of an illegal immigrant set to be charged in her courthouse, which has sent liberals into a TDS spiral.
For context, since the start of the year, federal judges have consistently defied Trump’s immigration policies. Most infamously, woke Judge James Boasberg blocked Trump from invoking the Alien Enemies Act to deport Tren De Aragua gang members earlier this year, but others, such as Hannah Dugin, have followed suit.
In any case, Katelyn Polantz provided vital insight into the charges on an April 25, 2025, installment of CNN’s The Arena with Kasie Hunt. She said, “Well, they have a case, and that case is going to go on in court. She hasn’t entered a plea yet. She was released after her appearance.”
Building out her argument, the journalist said, “One of the things that I think should really be highlighted here is not – the case against the judge. It’s unusual, but it’s not unprecedented. There has been a case like this before in 2019 during the first Trump administration, charging a judge in Massachusetts who was accused of something very similar, trying to usher someone out of that courtroom as ICE officials were waiting for that defendant.”
Concluding her remarks, she said that other judges have been forced to pay a price for defying Trump. Polantz declared, “In that case, that ended up being resolved. Those charges were dropped in the Biden administration against that judge in Massachusetts, but she ended up cutting a deal. So it was a legitimate case there as well.”
As we reported, Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary at the DHS, posted her take on social media. She said, “This is the criminal illegal alien that the Milwaukee Circuit judge attempted to shield from justice. He has a laundry list of violent criminal charges including strangulation and suffocation, battery, and domestic abuse. Ruiz illegally entered the US twice.”
Building her case, the DHS official connected her remarks to the president’s promise to the American people. She stated, “Since President Trump was inaugurated, activist judges have tried to obstruct President Trump and the American people’s mandate to make America safe and secure our homeland— but this judge’s actions to shield an accused violent criminal illegal alien from justice is shocking and shameful. ”
Concluding her post, she gave a warning to other illegals, saying, “We are thankful for our partners at the FBI for helping remove this accused criminal from America’s streets. If you are here illegally and break the law, we will hunt you down, arrest you and lock you up. That’s a promise.”
Watch the segment here:
In the comments under her post, conservatives advocated for harsh punishments, one comment said, “Well, I certainly hope she is also disbarred and maybe sent to visit El Salvador. Hear it’s nice this time of year.” Agreeing, another added, “Seriously, make the good judge take this wholesome gentleman into her home and have her care for him. Let her reap the consequences for her unlawful decisions.”