Legal groups push for independent immigration courts after mass judge firings
Six more immigration judges were fired in April, escalating calls for court independence.
Why it matters: The wave of firings highlights risks to judicial independence and due process in immigration law. An independent immigration judiciary is now a central issue for legal practitioners and policy advocates.
- The Trump administration has dismissed 113 immigration judges since January 2025.
- Two recently fired judges had blocked deportations of pro-Palestinian students.
- The firings have drawn outcry from the National Association of Immigration Judges and the American Bar Association.
- The Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2026 seeks to create an independent immigration court system.
Judicial groups and bar associations are intensifying calls for an independent immigration judiciary after the Trump administration dismissed six more immigration judges on April 10, 2026. This marks 113 judge firings since January 2025, fueling worries about impartiality and procedural fairness in immigration proceedings (The Daily Record).
- Among those terminated were Judges Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, who had previously ruled to block deportations of pro-Palestinian students.
- Mass firings have become frequent, with 20 judges ousted in February 2025 and eight more in April 2025 (Los Angeles Times).
The National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ) condemned the wave of dismissals as "wrong and unjust," emphasizing that such actions were rare prior to the current administration (The Daily Record). The American Bar Association (ABA) and NAIJ are urging Congress to act, warning that keeping immigration courts under the executive branch jeopardizes impartiality.
Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren introduced the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2026, which would create an Article I immigration court. The measure is supported by major legal groups including the ABA, Federal Bar Association, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Jeremiah Johnson of NAIJ underscored, “An Article I court protects judicial independence, shields decision-making from political pressure, strengthens public trust, and ensures that every case is decided fairly and impartially under the rule of law, not based on political preferences.”
- The U.S. immigration court backlog reached 3.7 million cases as of April 2025 (The Guardian).
Calls for reform are increasing in the face of persistent court backlogs and accelerating judge terminations.
By the numbers:
- 113 — Immigration judges fired since January 2025
- 3.7 million — Backlogged immigration cases as of April 2025
- 20 — Immigration judges fired in February 2025
Yes, but: Specific reasons for the latest judge firings have not been disclosed.
What's next: The progress of the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2026 in Congress is being closely watched by legal groups.