The Trump administration has abruptly fired 20 immigration judges, a move that has raised concerns about the future of the already overburdened immigration court system.
The dismissals, which came without explanation, were confirmed by Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, the union representing federal workers.
Among those terminated were 13 judges who had yet to be sworn in, five assistant chief immigration judges, and two others dismissed earlier in the week.
The U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which oversees immigration courts, has not provided any comments regarding the decision or whether the positions will be refilled.
Impact on the Immigration Court System
The U.S. immigration court system currently faces a staggering backlog, with over 3.7 million cases pending, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).
Asylum cases can take years to resolve, and legal experts from both political sides have long advocated for increasing the number of immigration judges and support staff to expedite proceedings.
During the previous Trump administration, there was significant pressure on judges to speed up case resolutions, leading to concerns over due process and judicial independence.
The recent firings follow the removal of five top court officials, including Mary Cheng, the acting director of the EOIR. The new leader, Sirce Owen, has already begun implementing policy reversals that undo Biden-era changes.
Potential Political Motivations
The firings align with two of former President Trump’s central policy priorities: mass deportations and reducing the size of the federal government.
In a related effort, the administration recently ordered federal agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet obtained civil service protection, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of workers.
The sudden dismissals have sparked criticism from federal labor unions, with Biggs describing the move as part of a broader campaign to undermine the rights of federal employees.
“They’re treating these people as if they’re not human beings,” Biggs stated. “It’s bad all around.”
The Justice Department has not commented on whether further dismissals will follow or if there are plans to replace the terminated judges. Meanwhile, advocacy groups and immigration attorneys warn that the firings could further strain an already overwhelmed immigration system, potentially delaying asylum and deportation proceedings for years.
