NEW YORK, NY — Eight immigration judges working at 26 Federal Plaza in Lower Manhattan were dismissed Monday, cutting the New York City immigration court bench by more than 25% during what union officials describe as a nationwide purge. The move comes as the immigration court system faces a historic backlog of over 3.7 million cases, with hearings at some courts now delayed until 2028.
According to Newsweek, the dismissals included Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Amiena A. Khan, who supervised colleagues at the busy downtown courthouse. The firings form part of a broader national shake-up this year, with roughly 90 judges dismissed and only 36 new hires, despite the Executive Office for Immigration Review overseeing roughly 600 to 700 judges nationwide.
Union leaders and former judges say the cuts disproportionately affected adjudicators with immigrant-defense backgrounds and higher asylum approval rates. Some dismissed judges, including Tania Nemer, have filed discrimination lawsuits challenging their removal. The Department of Justice has not explained the criteria for termination, though it is offering a 25% pay incentive to recruit replacements.
The shake-up coincides with President Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement agenda and his recent comments blaming national issues on migrants. Legal experts warn that reducing the number of experienced judges will extend wait times and undermine due process, despite the administration’s stated goal of speeding up deportations.
Former New York judge Olivia Cassin told Newsweek the court “has been basically eviscerated,” warning that shifting thousands of cases to fewer judges will add years to asylum timelines.
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