The United States Justice Department has launched a controversial recruitment drive for what it terms "deportation judges" as part of the Trump administration's intensified immigration enforcement measures.
Administration Targets Immigration Court System
In a significant shift in terminology and policy, the Department of Justice is actively seeking legal professionals to serve as immigration judges with a specific focus on removal cases. Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, publicly endorsed the recruitment campaign through social media, urging legal experts to "join @TheJusticeDept as a Deportation Judge to restore integrity and honor to our Nation's Immigration Court system."
The official recruitment advertisements prominently feature the phrase "deportation judge," marking a departure from the traditional title of "immigration judge" still used in government application portals. The DoJ's campaign emphasises that successful applicants will have the power to "determine whether an alien has to leave the United States or gets to stay" and to "ensure that only aliens with legally meritorious claims are allowed to remain."
Purge of Existing Judges and Backlog Crisis
This recruitment initiative coincides with what appears to be a systematic removal of immigration judges whose judicial philosophies conflict with the administration's enforcement priorities. Throughout this year, the Trump administration has been terminating immigration judges across multiple cities, including notable cases in New York where one judge had the city's highest asylum grant rate and another was an outspoken critic of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The purge has extended to sanctuary cities including San Francisco, Chicago and Boston, suggesting a coordinated effort to reshape the immigration judiciary in jurisdictions perceived as resistant to the administration's hardline policies. The situation has been exacerbated by an already overwhelmed court system facing massive backlogs, prompting the government to explore unconventional staffing solutions.
Military Lawyers and Expanded Recruitment
Facing critical staffing shortages, the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review relaxed qualification rules in August, allowing any lawyer to serve as a temporary immigration judge. This policy change paved the way for the recent recruitment of hundreds of military lawyers to fill judicial positions.
The current recruitment drive offers substantial financial incentives, with salary ranges between $159,951 and $207,500, plus additional cash incentives for positions in high-cost cities like New York, Boston and San Francisco. The advertisements promise applicants the opportunity to "define America for generations" through their judicial decisions.
Immigration judges typically hear cases involving asylum seekers, permanent residence applications and removal proceedings. The administration's focus on "deportation judges" signals a prioritisation of removal cases within the broader immigration court docket. The Justice Department has not responded to requests for comment regarding the terminology shift or the ongoing judicial appointments.
