In a move that has sparked widespread concern, 17 US immigration court judges were abruptly fired as part of what the union representing them calls a politically driven campaign to accelerate mass deportations.

According to the Associated Press, the dismissals come at a time when the nation’s immigration courts are grappling with record-breaking backlogs and mounting pressure from the Trump administration’s tough stance on immigration enforcement.

The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), which represents immigration judges and other federal professionals, reported that 15 judges were removed from their posts on Friday, followed by two more on Monday. These judges were serving in at least 10 states, including Texas, New York, California, and Ohio.

“It’s outrageous and against the public interest that at the same time Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, we are firing large numbers of immigration judges without cause,” said the union’s president, Matt Biggs. “This is nonsensical. The answer is to stop firing and start hiring.”

The firings come amid a broader push by the Trump administration to ramp up deportations. In many recent cases, ICE agents have arrested immigrants immediately after their hearings, often waiting outside courtrooms to detain them once proceedings are complete. These aggressive tactics have heightened anxiety among immigrants and asylum-seekers navigating an already complex legal process.

As reported by AP, the US immigration court system is currently struggling under the weight of approximately 3.5 million pending cases. Judges are frequently forced to schedule hearings more than a year in advance. Unlike criminal courts, immigration courts do not guarantee legal representation.

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