DOJ Dismisses Two Immigration Judges After Pro-Palestinian Rulings

The U.S. DOJ dismissed Judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes after rulings favoring pro-Palestinian students.

The U.S. Department of Justice on April 10, 2026, dismissed immigration judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes. Both judges had recently handed down rulings in favor of Palestinian student activists facing deportation.

• Judge Roopal Patel terminated proceedings against Tufts University PhD student Rümeysa Öztürk in January 2026.
• Judge Nina Froes dismissed a deportation case involving Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University activist, in February 2026.

According to Bloomberg Law, the firings were part of a broader removal of six immigration judges that same weekend, coinciding with several recent pro-Palestinian protest cases.

Legal observers cite a concerning pattern: judges making decisions in politically charged cases describe pressure to align with administrative policy preferences. In a statement to JURIST, Judge Patel argued that recent dismissals "reflect efforts to reshape the immigration bench along political lines." Immigration attorney Maria Lopez warned in Law360 the move could "discourage judicial independence and threaten due process for noncitizens."

The Department of Justice responded that "All judges have a legal, ethical, and professional obligation to be impartial and neutral in adjudicating cases." However, advocates including Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) labeled the removals a "purge" driven by policy disagreements, per The Guardian.

For legal professionals, these actions raise questions about the predictability of immigration case outcomes and the security of jobs on the immigration bench, especially as political activism increases in immigration-related hearings.

Yes, but: The DOJ maintains that all judges must act impartially, regardless of case politics.

What's next: Legal advocacy groups are calling for congressional hearings on judicial independence in immigration courts.