Immigration courts thrown into chaos as Trump administration purges dozens of judges

Before the Trump administration, there was great concern with the independence of the immigration courts. But now the administration is radically changing the immigration bench to more closely align with its immigration goals.

Emily Ngo for Politico reports that "[s]o far this year, the Trump administration has dismissed at least 98 of the approximately 700 immigration judges who were on the bench, according to the National Association of Immigration Judges, an organization that advocates for independent immigration courts. Dozens more have retired or resigned. The diminishing headcount and mounting backlog of cases is fueling further disorder at immigration courts already roiled by masked federal agents detaining migrants and reduced pathways to legal status."