WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has fired 20 immigration judges, adding to a growing list of dismissed federal workers. The firings come despite a nearly 3.7 million case backlog in U.S. immigration courts.
A union representing federal workers confirmed the dismissals. Those fired included seven assistant chief immigration judges and 13 judges hired in December who were still in training8. The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers also stated that two additional immigration judges and five senior managers have been let go since President Trump took office on January 208. This brings the total number of dismissals from the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review to 278.
Immigration judges handle asylum cases, deciding whether to grant or deny asylum8. They also issue deportation orders and can close cases.
Assistant chief immigration judges oversee other immigration judges and make decisions on immigration cases.
The Associated Press initially reported on the firings that occurred on Friday.
These dismissals follow recent mass firings across federal agencies. Newly hired and recently promoted federal workers within their probationary period were also affected.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review oversees the Justice Department’s immigration courts and 700 judges.
The Department of Justice has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The union stated that all immigration judges received an email about the government’s deferred resignation program.
Matt Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, called the firings “hypocrisy”. He believes it will worsen the backlog of cases in immigration court.
“The firing of immigration judges when we need more judges to enforce our immigration laws by this administration is a perfect example of hypocrisy,” he said8. “President Trump said he wanted to hire more immigration judges. Instead his underlings over the past month have fired 15 judges without cause and 12 managers who schedule deportation hearings.”
Biggs noted each fired immigration judge would have heard between 500 and 700 cases this year.
During President Trump’s first week in office, several leaders of the Executive Office for Immigration Review were fired8. This included the acting director, the chief immigration judge, the head of policy, and the general counsel8. These actions signal the Trump administration’s intention to reshape the immigration court system.
Sirce Owen is now the acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review. She previously worked as an appellate immigration judg.
There are more than 70 immigration courts across the country.
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