Former Immigration Judges Condemn Trump Administration's Unprecedented Court Purges

Former immigration judges including Ryan Wood spoke out against the Trump administration's systematic purge of immigration court judges, describing conditions they called unprecedented in American judicial history. Wood stated the administration wants 'numbers, they want deportations' and keep people detained as long as possible — not impartial justice. Judges have been 'walked off the bench' mid-decision, a practice Wood and other former jurists called a direct assault on judicial independence. The administration had previously fired EOIR judges who blocked removal orders against pro-Palestinian student visa holders and has restructured immigration court leadership to align with enforcement priorities. The American Immigration Lawyers Association condemned the purges and warned that the dismantling of an independent judiciary in immigration proceedings sets a dangerous precedent for due process in federal courts.