20 Immigration Judges Let Go, Adding Strain to Backlogged Court System

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Key Takeaways

• On February 15, 2025, the Trump administration dismissed 20 immigration judges, reducing an already insufficient workforce of 725 judges nationwide.
• Immigration case backlogs reached 3.7 million in 2025, with each judge handling nearly 5,000 cases on average, straining fairness.
• The administration provided no plans to replace dismissed judges, raising concerns over due process and growing judicial delays for immigrants.

The sudden dismissal of 20 immigration judges by the Trump administration continues to create waves within the U.S. immigration court system, raising serious questions about its capacity to function under mounting pressure. These actions, which came without notice, have intensified concerns regarding a court system already struggling with unprecedented case backlogs and limited resources.

On February 15, 2025, the Trump administration terminated 13 immigration judges who had not yet been sworn in, along with five assistant chief judges who held supervisory roles. Two additional judges were let go earlier the same week. These firings come amid widespread federal workforce cuts under the administration’s broader policy agenda. Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, confirmed the terminations, highlighting the administration’s aggressive approach toward government downsizing.

20 Immigration Judges Let Go, Adding Strain to Backlogged Court System

An Overwhelmed Immigration Court System

These dismissals strike at the heart of a court system already buckling under immense pressure. The backlog of pending immigration cases has reached an eye-watering 3.7 million as of February 2025, according to Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC). This is a staggering increase compared to previous years. In fact, the backlog has grown by 163% from 2003 through 2015. The overwhelming caseload translates into each immigration judge managing nearly 5,000 cases on average as of fiscal year 2024, straining both efficiency and fairness in judicial proceedings.

This crisis is further compounded by a stark imbalance in federal funding allocations. In fiscal year 2024, Congress allocated $3.43 billion to immigration detention facilities while dedicating only $840 million to support the immigration court system as a whole. This funding gap leaves the court system under-resourced at a time when its workload continues to grow exponentially, intensifying delays and pressures on remaining judges.

The Impact of the Dismissals

The loss of 20 judges has deepened the challenges within the immigration court system. Before these firings, there were only 725 judges across the country—already an insufficient number given the enormity of the backlog. Voices from within the system, such as Immigration Judge Dana Leigh Marks, President of the National Association of Immigration Judges, have long advocated for doubling or tripling the size of the judiciary to better manage the volume of cases. The recent cuts, however, move in the opposite direction, raising fears about fairness and due process for individuals navigating an increasingly strained system.

Moreover, the Trump administration has shown no clear intention to replace the dismissed judges. The Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has neither provided public explanations for the firings nor announced plans to recruit new judges to fill the gap. This leaves observers questioning whether these actions are part of a broader strategy to reshape the system along ideological lines or simply to keep government employment numbers low.

The timing of these dismissals is also notable, occurring just after sweeping changes in the immigration enforcement apparatus. Earlier in 2025, the administration replaced five key officials within the immigration court system, including former acting director Mary Cheng. The new director, Sirce Owen, has quickly pushed through a series of policy reversals erasing protective measures initially enacted during the Biden administration. These moves have sparked concerns that due process and fairness in immigration cases may take a back seat to expedited enforcement priorities.

Broader Workforce Cuts and Their Implications

The judge terminations align with wider workforce reductions across the federal government. Just days before the judges were fired, the administration ordered the termination of nearly all probationary federal employees who had not yet achieved civil service protection. This decision affects potentially hundreds of thousands of government workers in various agencies. Immigration courts have not been the sole target, as the Justice Department recently paused financial support for nonprofit groups offering legal assistance to individuals facing deportation. Though funding was later reinstated following a federal lawsuit brought by advocacy organizations, the temporary withdrawal of funding underscores the administration’s firm approach to tightening resources across immigration services.

Critics have not hesitated to voice their concerns. Matthew Biggs described the firings as symptomatic of a broader disdain for the federal workforce, saying, “They’re treating these people as if they’re not human beings. It’s bad all around.” The dismissals have sparked fears that the immigration court system could become overwhelmed to the point of dysfunction, leaving vulnerable individuals—such as asylum seekers and children—without fair hearings.

Consequences for Due Process and Vulnerable Populations

Immigration proceedings play a critical role in determining the futures of millions of people, many of whom face life-altering consequences. The lack of judges to hear cases threatens to lengthen delays, which are already excessive. On average, immigrants seeking a hearing face a one-and-a-half-year wait, a timeline that risks separating families and marginalizing individuals in need of social and economic stability.

Long delays further complicate the legal process. With limited judicial capacity, cases may proceed without adequate review, increasing the risk of unjust deportations. Some immigration judges have expressed frustration at being forced to make decisions in as little as seven minutes on average. This rushed pace undermines confidence in the fairness of proceedings and can lead to costly appeals, compounding an already strained system.

Children and asylum seekers are among the most vulnerable populations disadvantaged by such policies. Complex issues and high-stakes consequences require careful, nuanced deliberations—but hasty procedures cloud the system’s ability to provide just outcomes. For asylum seekers fleeing violence or persecution, a mistake may mean life or death. Critics warn that the recent terminations could accelerate the trend toward denying comprehensive hearings, endangering the lives of those seeking refuge.

The Bigger Picture: A System in Crisis

The recent dismissals highlight a deeper structural crisis within the U.S. immigration court system. For years, advocates have called for reforms that balance enforcement with fair adjudication of cases. Yet the Trump administration’s approach marks a heightened focus on enforcement-driven goals, often at the expense of resources for court functions. The tension between these priorities leaves many stakeholders—from immigrants to legal professionals—uncertain about the system’s ability to meet the challenges it faces.

Legal experts and advocates are also bracing for potential challenges to these dismissals. If it is determined that firing the judges violated hiring and firing protocols, legal actions could follow, adding further strain to a government already embroiled in various immigration-related lawsuits. As VisaVerge.com has noted in its analysis, the lack of transparency surrounding the reasons for these dismissals only adds to growing unease across the legal and immigrant communities.

A Path Forward?

What lies ahead for the immigration court system remains unclear. Without immediate action to address the surging backlog, immigrants could face even longer waits for justice. Reforms aimed at expanding judicial resources and improving administrative efficiency could offer a constructive way forward. Increasingly, advocates emphasize the need for Congress to match its enforcement spending with proportional funding for court operations.

For now, the challenges appear daunting. The Trump administration’s dismissals leave the immigration court system at a crossroads. Whether this move prefaces a broader restructuring of the judiciary or represents a temporary measure remains to be seen.

In conclusion, the dismissal of immigration judges reflects a wider trend of reductions across the federal workforce. For an immigration court system already battling record delays and growing backlogs, these cuts seem poorly timed and poorly explained. With significant consequences for due process, fairness, and efficiency, these firings call for urgent scrutiny. A balanced, well-resourced approach to immigration policy is critical to restoring public trust in the courts and ensuring everyone facing these proceedings receives a fair opportunity to have their cases heard.

For authoritative updates on immigration court operations and judicial resources, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review provides official information here.

Learn Today

Immigration Court System → A specialized judicial system handling cases related to immigration, including deportation, asylum, or visa-related disputes.
Backlog → Accumulation of unresolved cases or tasks, causing delays in proceedings or operations, often due to inadequate resources.
Due Process → Legal principle ensuring individuals receive fair, unbiased hearings and appropriate legal protections during judicial or administrative proceedings.
Fiscal Year → A 12-month period used for budgeting and financial purposes, not necessarily aligned with the calendar year.
Asylum Seekers → Individuals fleeing persecution or violence in their home countries, seeking protection and legal status in another nation.

This Article in a Nutshell

The abrupt dismissal of 20 immigration judges under the Trump administration worsens an already overburdened U.S. immigration court system. With 3.7 million pending cases and insufficient funding, fairness and efficiency hang by a thread. Critics warn these cuts jeopardize due process, urging balanced reforms to restore justice amid mounting delays.
— By VisaVerge.com