The Trump administration has fired 17 immigration judges as part of efforts to accelerate deportations across the United States, the judges’ union says.
The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) reported that 15 judges were dismissed “without cause” last Friday, and two more were let go on Monday. The judges worked in 10 states, including California, Texas, and New York.
Matt Biggs, president of the IFPTE, condemned the move as “outrageous and against the public interest.” He highlighted that Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, but the current system only has about 600 active judges. “Instead of firing judges, we should be hiring more,” he said.
The dismissals come amid a crackdown on immigration. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have increased arrests immediately after court hearings, even when judges delay or dismiss cases. In these situations, immigrants often face quick deportation without legal help.
The immigration court system is already facing a backlog of 3.5 million cases, with hearings sometimes scheduled more than a year ahead. Immigrants are not provided public defenders and often must rely on interpreters to defend themselves.
Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois said one judge was fired after meeting him during a tour of the Chicago Immigration Court. After the visit, she received a warning email from the Justice Department about contacting Congress and was soon dismissed.
Durbin described the firing as “an abuse of power” to punish a judge “simply for doing her job.”
Congress recently approved $3.3 billion in funding for immigration courts as part of a broader $170 billion immigration enforcement package. The funding aims to increase the number of immigration judges to 800.
However, according to the union, over 100 judges have left or been forced out since President Trump took office, worsening the staffing shortage. Hiring and training new judges can take up to a year, which may make the court backlog worse.
Immigration courts fall under the control of the Justice Department, which has the authority to hire and fire judges. The department has declined to comment on the recent dismissals.
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