Trump fired immigration court judges
Author: Joan Rosen
What is the difference between immigration judges and criminal and civil case judges?
Immigration judges are part of the Justice Department. They are employed by the Executive Office of Immigration Review. The Executive Office of Immigration Review oversees the immigration courts.
What union represents immigration judges?
Immigration court judges are represented by the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers www.IFPTE.org (Other professionals are also represented by IFPTE.)
The IFPTE union said they are working in courts in California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia.
In a news release the IFPTE stated that 15 judges were fired “without cause” on Friday, July 11, 2025 and another two on Monday, July 14, 2025. “It’s outrageous and against the public interest that at the same time Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, we are firing large numbers of immigration judges without cause,” said the union's President Matt Biggs. "This is nonsensical. The answer is to stop firing and start hiring.”
In criminal courts people accused of crimes have the right to a lawyer to defend them. On the other hand, immigrants do not have the right to a lawyer. If an immigrant cannot afford a lawyer, they try to defend themselves. They often use an interpreter to help them make their case. The immigration judge is often a family’s last hope.
There is a huge backlog of about 3.5 million cases that immigration court judges are dealing with.
Courts are getting a cash infusion
The Big Bastard Bill gave the immigration courts $3.3. billion which is supposed to be used to increase the number of judges to 800. Currently, there are about 600 judges.
REFERENCES:
Trump administration fires 17 immigration court judges across ten states, union says
https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/national-international/trump-administration-fires-immigration-court-judges-ten-states/3914701/
By Rebecca Santana | The Associated Press • Published July 15, 2025 • Updated on July 15, 2025 at 2:21 pm
IFPTE Condemns Trump Administration’s Attack on Federal Workers
IFPTE Condemns Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Federal Workers and Their Unions — IFPTE
DOJ rocked by wave of Trump firings
https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/5409135-doj-firings-trump/
Big Beautiful Bill TEXT
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text