Tagged #immigration-judges
Every article we've published on this topic, sorted by the agency's own announcement date.
DOJ Proposes Contempt Authority for Immigration Judges: Fines Up to $3,500
EOIR proposes rule allowing immigration judges to impose civil money penalties for contempt on attorneys, clients, and witnesses. Comment deadline: September 28, 2026.
Active duty military lawyers now hearing immigration cases in Massachusetts courts
The Trump administration has deployed military lawyers as temporary immigration judges in Massachusetts and nationwide. Immigration practitioners need to understand the policy, the legal challenges, and how it affects case adjudication.
DOJ Proposes Rule to Let Immigration Judges Issue Contempt Sanctions
The Executive Office for Immigration Review is proposing a regulation that would give immigration judges authority to impose civil money penalties on lawyers and litigants who violate their orders.
UN Panel Warns of Mass Arbitrary Removal of Immigration Judges
A United Nations Human Rights Council panel says the Trump administration's removal of over 100 immigration judges undermines court independence and reduces judicial capacity. What practitioners need to know about docket delays and litigation risk.
Immigration judges report mass firings, pressure campaigns, and due-process conflicts under Trump administration
Immigration judges describe institutional pressure to prioritize policy goals over law, with more than 100 fired and 200 departed since Trump took office. Implications for caseload, case timing, and judicial independence.
DOD to Involuntarily Activate Military Lawyers as Immigration Judges
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has authorized involuntary activation of military lawyers to serve as immigration judges at EOIR. What practitioners need to know about this novel deployment.
Hartford Immigration Court backlog strains legal representation and relief prospects
Former judge warns court backlog of 46,000 cases in Hartford is compromising asylum seekers' ability to prepare cases, as judge staffing declines nationally and processing accelerates dramatically.
Federal Court Vacates Biden-Era Rule Expanding Administrative Closure in Immigration Court
A Texas federal judge has permanently blocked a Biden-era DOJ rule that allowed immigration judges to indefinitely pause deportation proceedings. The ruling vacates the administrative closure expansion and prevents similar practices going forward.
Federal Circuit to hear full-court challenge to immigration judges' Article II firings
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit granted en banc review of the Jackler and Jaroch case, a rare move that will determine whether immigration judges are "inferior officers" removable at will under the Constitution.
Senate Democrats File Brief Against Ruling Stripping Immigration Judge Protections
Senate Democrats ask the federal appeals court to reverse a decision that would allow the attorney general to fire immigration judges at-will without civil service protections, citing broader constitutional concerns about federal workforce independence.
Fired Immigration Judges Test Trump's Executive Power in Federal Court
Multiple federal lawsuits by terminated immigration judges challenge the Trump administration's claim of unlimited Article II removal authority. Practitioners should monitor these cases for their impact on EOIR independence and judicial tenure.
Immigration judges accused of setting 'sham' bond hearings with sky-high amounts
Lawyers report immigration judges ordering unusually high bond amounts and holding brief hearings that ignore evidence. Practitioners increasingly turn to federal habeas corpus petitions for relief.
EOIR Onboards 77 New Immigration Judges in Largest Hiring Class in History
The Executive Office for Immigration Review announced it has brought on 77 permanent and 5 temporary immigration judges—the largest cohort on record. Here's how this staffing expansion affects case timing and backlog trends.
Vera Study: Newly Appointed Judges Grant Voluntary Departure at Higher Rates
Immigration judges appointed under the second Trump administration are granting voluntary departure at significantly higher rates than experienced judges. New analysis shows the trend disproportionately affects detained immigrants and those without legal counsel.
Supreme Court Asylum Decision Heightens Appellate Deference Standard
The Supreme Court's unanimous Urias-Orellana v. Bondi decision requires federal appellate courts to defer to immigration judge factual findings and BIA legal rulings in asylum cases, narrowing the scope of appellate review and affecting circuit appeal strategy.
BIA Reaffirms IJ Authority to Reject Stipulations and Exercise Independent Judgment
Board of Immigration Appeals decision in Matter of J-H-M-H- signals a shift from Biden-era enforcement restrictions, reaffirming immigration judges' duty to exercise independent discretion in removal proceedings.