From Politico: A massive purge of judges has left the federal government’s web of immigration courts decimated and in disarray. Ousted jurists believe that’s by design.
The roster of those who’ve lost their jobs since President Donald Trump returned to office includes judges with higher than average rates of granting migrants asylum, judges with dual citizenship and those with a history of providing legal defense to immigrants. But not all of them fit that mold.
“It’s about destroying a system where cases are carefully considered by people with knowledge of the subject matter,” said Olivia Cassin, a former New York immigration judge pushed out of her job late last month. “They’re firing everyone.”
So far this year, the Trump administration has dismissed at least 98 of the approximately 700 immigration judges who were on the bench, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges, an organization that advocates for independent immigration courts. Dozens more have retired or resigned.
A spokesperson for the Department of Justice said in a statement, “After four years of the Biden Administration forcing Immigration Courts to implement a de facto amnesty for hundreds of thousands of aliens, this Department of Justice is restoring integrity to our immigration system and encourages talented legal professionals to join in our mission to protect national security and public safety.”
Many of the fired, pro-migrant judges are furious, and many are challenging their dismissals, including this one:
Former Judge Tania Nemer of Ohio, who said she was fired in February, filed a lawsuit this week alleging the Department of Justice discriminated against her on the basis of sex, national origin and political affiliation. Nemer is a dual citizen of the United States and Lebanon and had sought local office as a Democrat.
READ MORE from Politico.
The Trump administration is advertising for “Deportation Judges.” DHS posted the following announcement:
RESTORE INTEGRITY TO AMERICA’S IMMIGRATION COURTS.
@TheJusticeDept is seeking legal professionals to serve as Deportation Judges to ensure that only aliens with legally meritorious claims are allowed to remain.
Remote and part-time positions available. http://JOIN.JUSTICE.GOV
RESTORE INTEGRITY TO AMERICA’S IMMIGRATION COURTS.@TheJusticeDept is seeking legal professionals to serve as Deportation Judges to ensure that only aliens with legally meritorious claims are allowed to remain.
Remote and part-time positions available. https://t.co/9Z1LOHSlnU pic.twitter.com/mg3SgNf4Ho
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 5, 2025
‘They’re firing everyone’: purge of immigration judges fuels courthouse chaos https://t.co/RFPqAe6tRf
— POLITICO (@politico) December 6, 2025
Prominent X user Jake wrote, “Trump just AXED 8 more New York immigration judges on Monday – including the assistant chief at 26 Federal Plaza. That’s on top of the dozens he’s already canned this year. These were the same clowns dragging out asylum cases for a decade and rubber-stamping everything. They’re gone. The bench is getting cleaned out. The deportation trains are about to leave the station.”
Trump just AXED 8 more New York immigration judges on Monday – including the assistant chief at 26 Federal Plaza.
That’s on top of the dozens he’s already canned this year.These were the same clowns dragging out asylum cases for a decade and rubber-stamping everything.
They’re… pic.twitter.com/UQX96lB1eH
— Jake (@JakeCan72) December 2, 2025
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