A Wisconsin judge pleaded not guilty Thursday to her charges that she helped an illegal evasion of U.S. immigration authorities in hopes of arresting him in court.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan entered an early step in the criminal justice process during a federal court arraignment. At this point, the defendant usually pleads not guilty to give the attorney time to investigate and retain his right to trial.

Dugan is accused of hiding a person to prevent arrest and obstruction. Prosecutors said she was escorting Eduardo Flores-Ruiz and his attorneys through the jury door after learning that U.S. immigration and customs law enforcement officers were in court, and they sought arrest for illegally being in the country.

If convicted of both charges, she could face up to six years in prison.

Her lawyer insists that she is innocent. They filed a motion to dismiss the case Wednesday, saying she was acting as a judge in her official capacity and was therefore not prosecuted. They also uphold the federal government's violation of state sovereignty in Wisconsin by undermining state courts and prosecuting state judges.

Flores-Ruiz illegally re-entered the United States after being deported in 2013, according to court documents. Online state court records show he was charged with three counts of misdemeanor domestic abuse in Milwaukee County in March. He held a hearing in Dugan’s court on April 18.

Dugan was warned by her clerk about the presence of the agent, who was told by lawyers that the agent appeared to be in the corridor, court documents said. Dugan was obviously angry and called the situation "ridiculous" and then left the bench and retreated to her room, the affidavit said. She and another judge then contacted members of the arrest team in the court, which witnesses called "confrontational, angry manners."

Dugan asked them to talk to the chief judge and lead them out of court after a round-trip battle with the agents with Flores-Ruiz's arrest warrant.

The affidavit says that after she returned to court, witnesses heard her words about “wait, come with me” and then took Flores Ruiz and his attorney out through a door that is usually used only by representatives, jurors, court staff and guardian defendants.

Flores-Ruiz received a free signature margin in the signature margin for abuse cases, according to online state court records. After chasing, federal agents eventually took him out of the court.

The state Supreme Court suspended Dugan last week, saying the move was necessary to preserve public confidence in the judiciary.

John Vaudreuil, a former Wisconsin federal prosecutor, said the Trump administration wants to take Dugan as an example.

He said U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi or Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche may be making a decision on how to proceed, rather than a local U.S. attorney in Milwaukee, making prosecutors less likely to reduce allegations against Dugan in a deal.

Vaudreuil said her lawyers may try to push the case to a jury trial because they know that "people feel very strong about the way the president and the government enforce immigration policies."