More than 1,700 people have applied to become immigration judges under the Trump administration following a provocative social media recruitment drive by the US Departments of Justice and Homeland Security. The campaign, which called for new 'deportation judges' and featured images from the dystopian film Judge Dredd, has drawn criticism for undermining the impartiality of the role.
The White House aims to speed up processing in the immigration court system, which currently has a backlog of about 3.6 million cases. The recruitment offers six-figure salaries, 25% bonuses, and the chance to 'restore integrity and honor' to the court system. However, the term 'deportation judge' marks a departure from the norm, as immigration judges are supposed to consider claims impartially, including asylum requests that allow migrants to stay legally.
Leading the effort is Daren Margolin, a former Marine Corps colonel who now heads the Executive Office of Immigration Review. Margolin told Axios he previously resigned from the immigration court system because he 'felt like a co-conspirator in treason' under the Biden administration. He did not disclose how many of the 1,700 applicants were hired but said an initial cohort will begin service this month.
Critics argue the administration is weaponising the immigration court system to speed up deportations. Syracuse University immigration analyst Austin Kocher wrote that calling an immigration judge a 'deportation judge' negates the term 'judge' and would only attract lawyers who 'despise the law'. Since Trump took office, at least 135 immigration judges have been fired or retired, and asylum denial rates have reached unprecedented levels.
The immigration court system has long faced criticism for lacking independence. Judges work for the Justice Department, the same agency employing prosecutors, and immigrants are not guaranteed attorneys. Under Trump, migrants have been shown posters encouraging them to plead guilty and self-deport, drawing comparisons to criminal court practices.
