Jayapal, Raskin, Crockett, Johnson Raise Alarm over Military Lawyers Filling Immigration Judge Vacancies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Representatives Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Integrity, Security, and Enforcement, Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee, Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Oversight, and Hank Johnson (GA-04), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, Artificial Intelligence, and the Internet are raising the alarm over the Executive Office of Immigration Review's (EOIR) decision to hire temporary immigration judges with no previous immigration experience. Under the plan, 600 military lawyers would serve temporary stints as immigration judges, despite the fact that immigration law is one of the most complex areas of federal law.

"Bringing in hundreds of judges for potentially only six-month periods is a recipe for further chaos in the immigration courts," wrote the Members. "This decision undermines our entire immigration system and due process, weakening individuals' ability to get a fair day in court."

This is a major departure from previous practice, in which any temporary immigration judges were required to be former appellate immigration judges, EOIR administrative law judges, or attorneys with more than 10 years of experience in immigration law.

The current shortage of immigration judges is also in significant part due to the Trump administration and EOIR's own doing. Since the second Trump Administration began, nearly 16 percent of the current workforce have been fired or chosen retirement. In addition, there has been no indication that additional translators, clerks, or administrative staff will be hired to support these new judges.

"We urge you to immediately reverse this decision," continued the Members.

The full text of the letter can be read here.

Issues: Immigration, Public Safety & Criminal Justice