Trump Administration Swears In Record 82 Immigration Judges Amid Judicial Overhaul

The Trump administration swore in 82 new immigration judges on May 20, 2026, at the Department of Justice's Great Hall in Washington, D.C., marking the largest single class in the immigration court system's history. The group includes 77 permanent judges and five temporary military hires from the JAG corps, many of whom are former Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys, federal prosecutors, or military legal officers. The expansion brings the total number of immigration judges to approximately 700, following the hiring of 153 permanent judges in fiscal year 2026. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the move fulfills a commitment to restore the rule of law and secure borders. The Department of Justice reports the backlog has dropped from approximately 4 million to 3.53 million pending cases since January 20, 2025, a reduction of more than 447,000 cases.

Simultaneously, the administration has ousted or pressured out more than 100 sitting immigration judges, many appointed during the Biden administration, including 178 terminations in February 2025 alone. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, under Acting Director Sirce Owen, issued a January 2025 memorandum that critics say challenged judicial independence, and the agency has issued a record 52 policy memoranda in 15 months to shift court operations. Former judges Nina Fróes and Nick Pappas allege wrongful termination and a toxic environment, while former Boston Immigration Court judge Sarah Cade resigned over the agency's direction. The Board of Immigration Appeals issued 118 precedent-setting decisions in 15 months, contributing to a 75 percent drop in granted asylum cases between March 2025 and March 2026.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association condemned the hiring surge, arguing the administration is transforming impartial adjudicators into enforcement tools for a mass deportation campaign. Supporters like Andrew Arthur counter that the changes provide necessary clarity and address backlogs inherited from the prior administration. The San Francisco Immigration Court is scheduled for closure on September 14, further signaling the systemic restructuring underway.