Case 2: The DOJ’s Firing of 20 Immigration Judges and the Need for Judicial Purging
In a separate development, the Trump administration’s dismissal of 20 immigration judges has also drawn widespread attention.
The dismissals came without warning or explanation, affecting judges who were still awaiting their swearing-in, as well as seasoned immigration judges already entrenched in the backlog of cases, said Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, which represents federal workers. In the last week, two additional judges were dismissed under similar conditions.
While the Trump administration’s actions were framed as part of an effort to shrink the size of the federal workforce and streamline government operations, they also raised serious concerns about the underlying motivations.
This mass firing of immigration judges underscores an issue that has plagued the judicial system for years: the inefficiency and backlog within courts. The U.S. immigration courts currently face a staggering backlog of more than 3.7 million cases, and it takes years for asylum cases to be decided. With cases piling up and courtrooms overwhelmed, the efficiency of the judicial system has become a matter of national concern.
However, the issue of judicial effectiveness extends far beyond backlogs—it also ties directly into the concept of judicial accountability. Critics argue that the firing of these judges was not just about efficiency but also about targeting judges whose rulings may not have aligned with the administration’s immigration policies.
While the Trump administration’s firing of judges may seem like a drastic step, it brings to light an undeniable truth: there are judges across the country who are either ineffective, biased, or unwilling to uphold the principles of justice. In some instances, judges have acted with blatant disregard for the law, while others have failed to uphold their duties due to incompetence, political agendas, or personal biases. As the immigration courts continue to struggle with backlogs and inefficiencies, it becomes evident that there is a need for a systematic review of all judges, with the goal of identifying and removing those who are no longer fit to serve.
