Trump Administration Purges Immigration Judges to Accelerate Mass Deportations

The administration of Donald Trump has executed a large-scale overhaul of the U.S. immigration court system to facilitate mass deportations and end what it terms the era of amnesty. The United States Department of Justice has fired more than 100 sitting immigration judges since January 2025, replacing them with over 140 new permanent and temporary appointees, including military lawyers and former prosecutors. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the purge targets judges who rule too slowly or make decisions based on sympathy rather than law.

Critics and former officials, including former judge Jeremiah Johnson, allege the administration is creating a malleable workforce by removing judges who rule against the government. Reports indicate that training for new appointees has been reduced from five weeks to three, and many lack relevant immigration law experience. Specific removals included judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who were dismissed after throwing out deportation cases for students supporting Palestinian causes.

These personnel changes coincide with a sharp decline in asylum approvals, which dropped from 48 percent in February 2024 to less than 5 percent by February 2026. The Executive Office for Immigration Review has issued directives to grant asylum more sparingly and restrict bond eligibility for those who crossed the border unlawfully. To further expand capacity, the Justice Department plans to detail up to 600 military lawyers to serve as judges. In addition to court restructuring, the administration is aggressively pursuing denaturalization to strip citizenship from individuals accused of defrauding the system.