More than 100 immigration judges have been fired or resigned since President Donald Trump took office in January, as the administration moves to streamline immigration courts and enforce U.S. immigration law without political interference.
In July alone, 20 immigration judges were dismissed. Three of them — George Pappas, Jennifer Peyton, and Carla Espinoza — spoke to CBS Evening News this week, criticizing the administration and claiming they were pressured over their handling of deportation cases.
Judges Say They Were Fired by Email
Pappas, who served in Boston, called his firing “arbitrary” and claimed it undermined the rule of law.
“It’s an attack on the rule of law. It’s an attack on judges,” Pappas said.
Peyton, who led the Chicago immigration court, said she received a brief email with “no cause” and “no explanation.”
“My email was three sentences,” Peyton said.
Espinoza, who was appointed in 2023 and ruled on over 1,000 cases in one year — twice the average — claimed there was “pressure” to rule a certain way.
“We were not succumbing to that pressure,” she told CBS, “but it does feel like pressure.”
Trump Admin Pushes for Accountability
The Trump administration has made immigration court reform a priority, focusing on:
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Removing judges who are seen as slow-walking deportations
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Ending activist decision-making from the bench
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Holding immigration judges accountable to DOJ oversight
Immigration judges are not Article III judges but rather employees of the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) — meaning they serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General.
Under federal law, the Justice Department has full authority to hire or dismiss immigration judges.
ICE Enforcement Backed by the Courts
Peyton also complained to CBS that once illegal aliens left her courtroom, ICE agents would arrest them.
“You’d see the person walk out, and then they’d be handcuffed,” she said.
Critics of the previous immigration court system argue that many judges routinely granted delays, dismissals, or rarely issued removal orders, enabling illegal aliens to stay in the country indefinitely.
CBS Portrays Firings as Political — Trump DOJ Says It’s Reform
While CBS News framed the firings as politically motivated, the Justice Department has not commented publicly on individual personnel matters, citing standard confidentiality protocols.
However, the DOJ has long maintained that immigration judges must follow federal law and the policy guidance of the Attorney General — and those who fail to do so can be removed.
