US President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is slated to extract out the judges who the administration feels are “too slow” in the bid to deport millions in the immigration push, The Associated Press is reporting, citing US acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. The US AG attended the Border Security Expo, a forum where immigration officials, local and state law enforcement officers and company representatives participated. He spoke to reporters about the changes to the immigration courts as the Trump administration made mass deportations a central priority and launched a myriad of efforts to reach that goal.
“You take an oath, and you’re not allowed to make decisions based upon what appears to be just sympathy or your whim,” Blanche reportedly stated.
“If there are judges that are just not applying the law in the way that it needs to be applied, delaying inappropriately, have backlogs that are just unacceptable, they’re the folks that we’re going to try to find somebody different to fill that spot,” he was quoted as saying.
While the US Department of Homeland Security is tasked with implementing Trump’s deportation agenda, the immigration courts fall under the responsibility of the US Justice Department. Since Trump’s taking office, several immigration judges have been targeted or removed for “approving too many asylum cases,” the agency reported.
Dozens of Judges Removed
The DOJ has launched a sweeping effort to identify immigration judges with significant case backlogs. In recent weeks, there’s been a drastic escalation in the Trump administration’s drive to expedite mass deportations.
According to the officials, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is now implementing aggressive performance metrics, signalling a “zero-tolerance” approach toward judicial delays. The White House argues that the immigration courts are stalling the removal of undocumented immigrants because of the judges’ bias.
The pressure follows a series of controversial dismissals and the permanent closure of specific courts, including the San Francisco immigration court, as Trump vowed to reshape America’s quasi-judicial immigration system.
The move has sent shockwaves, with critics warning that prioritising speed over due process could lead to systemic errors. The legal community has criticised Trump’s wrongful removal of individuals with valid asylum claims.
However, the Justice Department maintains that the backlog, which has swelled to millions of cases, has required a “decisive management” to restore the rule of law at the border.
Judges ‘Closely Monitored’
Under the new directives, judges are being closely monitored for their “completion rates.” Those falling below specific quotas face formal reviews or disciplinary actions. “Unfortunately, the Trump Administration is systematically dismantling due process protections in US immigration courts, prioritising speed and enforcement over fairness, accuracy, and fundamental justice,” the American Immigration Lawyers Association said in a policy brief.
Trump administration argues that these so-called “benchmarks” are necessary to ensure that the immigration court system in the US functions as a streamlined mechanism for enforcement.
According to the reports, several judges have been terminated or forced into early retirement, with some alleging that the dismissals were “politically motivated” or that the DOJ targeted those who participated in pro-Palestinian activism.
The department is committed to ensuring that our immigration courts operate efficiently and that justice is administered without unnecessary delay, a Justice Department spokesperson stated in a brief.
Former judges, however, have pushed back, characterising the quotas as an “assembly-line” approach to strip them of the ability to carefully weigh the legal arguments before deportations.
One former judge, Shira Levine, who was fired from the San Francisco court last year, is currently suing the Trump administration. She claims that the pressure to clear dockets has created an environment of fear where judicial independence is being sacrificed for political optics.
Court Closures
Trump administration’s strategy to overhaul the immigration system extends beyond the individual performance of the judges to the immigration courts. The permanent closure of the San Francisco immigration court is a cornerstone of this reorganisation, as the Trump administration cited a need to reallocate resources to jurisdictions closer to the southern border or to more “compliant” districts.
Critics have argued that closing courts in metropolitan areas like San Francisco makes it nearly impossible for immigrants to access legal counsel. This works in favour of the US government prosecutors.
Legal advocacy groups have filed several challenges in federal court, arguing that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is overstepping its authority by interfering with the court’s functions. Pointing to the firing of judges, groups claim that an individual was specifically targeted due to their dissenting views. The White House, however, has signalled no intention of slowing down, as US President Trump praised his Justice Department for its “toughness” in handling the immigration crisis.
