TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Julia Wilburn on Feb 27, 2026

The number of judges in U.S. immigration courts has dropped by about a quarter in the last year due to firings and resignations — even when accounting for new hires, according to NPR. Twelve immigration courts have lost over half of their judges while two courts have no judges at all. Former judges and staff say the system’s ability to provide timely, fair hearings has been strained, while the U.S. Department of Justice maintains the changes are intended to improve efficiency and enforce immigration laws. New hiring efforts have focused on bringing in judges with law-enforcement or military backgrounds as the remaining courts face mounting backlogs.