Milwaukee, Wisconsin - A US federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted a Wisconsin judge on charges of concealing a person from immigration agents, after she was taken into custody and accused of helping a man avoid arrest.

Hannah Dugan, a 66-year-old Milwaukee County circuit judge, was arrested last month and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on an obstruction charge, if convicted, in a case that has sparked a national uproar.

Dugan is accused of helping a Mexican national escape her courtroom after she learned that ICE agents, among other federal officials, were seeking to detain the man in the hallway.

Dugan's arrest set off a torrent of criticism by Democrats and applause by some Republicans.

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US Attorney General Pam Bondi defended Dugan's arrest, issuing a chilling warning to those who may harbor illegal aliens: "We will find you."

"We're sending a very strong message today," Bondi told Fox News at the time.

Charging documents described the incident at Dugan's courthouse in April during which the judge was "visibly upset and had a confrontational, angry demeanor" when federal agents came to arrest the man – named as Eduardo Flores-Ruiz (30), who was facing misdemeanor charges.

The complaint alleges Dugan escorted Flores-Ruiz out of the courtroom through a door used by jury members in order to keep him from the agents.

Flores-Ruiz made it outside the building, but was arrested while attempting to flee, the criminal complaint in the case says.

A growing number of federal and state judges across the US have issued ruled against Trump's assault on immigrants' rights, particularly those related to his bid to exercise unprecedented powers in deporting people.

Dugan, who was elected to the bench in 2016, is expected to plead not guilty at the next hearing, which is scheduled for Thursday.