Trendpills
The Trump administration, through the Department of Justice, has been removing scores of immigration judges in an effort to reshape the judiciary and expedite deportations. A recent analysis has revealed a significant pattern in these dismissals, raising concerns about the impartiality of the nation's immigration courts.
A data analysis conducted by NPR shows that the Justice Department has been disproportionately terminating judges who previously worked in immigrant defense. This finding suggests a systematic overhaul of the immigration bench, aligning it more closely with the administration's enforcement-heavy agenda. These actions are being carried out by the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the DOJ agency that oversees the country's immigration court system. The pattern of dismissals appears to target specific professional backgrounds in favor of new hires who may be more aligned with prosecution-focused roles.
The firings have been ongoing, with a notable escalation in recent months. In September 2025, nearly 20 judges were informed of their termination, which NPR reported as the largest single group to be fired in one month since the process began. These dismissals are a key component of what sources describe as the administration's broader effort to accelerate mass deportations by removing judges perceived as less likely to issue swift removal orders.
The terminations add further pressure on an immigration system already strained by a substantial case backlog, a situation that has been worsening for years. While the administration frames the personnel changes as a move to increase efficiency, critics and the immigration judges' union argue that it undermines judicial independence and the due process rights of immigrants. The consistent replacement of judges with defense experience with new appointees is seen by some as a move to create a judiciary that is more compliant with the administration's hardline immigration policies.
