Summary:
Over 100 federal immigration judges have been fired or resigned since President Trump took office, with three recently terminated judges—George Pappas, Jennifer Peyton, and Carla Espinoza—speaking out in a CBS Evening News interview. They allege political pressure to dismiss cases, describing their firings as arbitrary and unfair, and claim their impartiality was compromised. This situation highlights broader concerns about the rule of law and due process in an already overwhelmed immigration court system.
What This Means for You:
- Impact on Immigration Cases: Judge firings may lead to backlogs, delaying decisions for thousands of immigrants.
- Due Process Concerns: Political pressures could undermine the fairness of immigration proceedings.
- Legal Advocacy Opportunities: Immigration attorneys should prepare for increased scrutiny and potential appeals.
- Future Outlook: Continued judicial turnover may further destabilize the immigration court system.
Original Post:
Federal immigration judges fired by the Trump Administration over e-mail this month lashed out at Trump in an interview with CBS Evening News.
More than 100 immigration judges have been fired or resigned since President Trump took office this year.
In July, 20 immigration judges were fired.
Three of the fired judges— George Pappas, Jennifer Peyton, and Carla Espinoza—spoke to CBS about their terminations. The disgruntled judges claimed they were politically pressured by the Trump Administration to grant motions to dismiss cases.
“It was arbitrary, unfair,” George Pappas told CBS News of his abrupt firing. “And it’s an attack on the rule of law. It’s an attack on judges.”
“My email was three sentences,” Jennifer Peyton whined. “I had no cause. I had no explanation.”
“We as judges, were in fear, we were concerned,” Carla Espinoza said. “That makes it very difficult to be impartial. We were not succumbing to that pressure but it does feel like pressure.”
Payton whined that once the illegal alien left the courtroom, ICE would handcuff them and whisk them away.
WATCH:
Former immigration judges are speaking out after sudden firings by the Trump administration, alleging political pressure and threats to due process in an already overwhelmed court system. CBS News’ @MauriceDuboisTV sat down with three judges who were terminated in July by email. pic.twitter.com/4JMjZEpNxj
— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) July 24, 2025
Excerpt from CBS News:
George Pappas, Jennifer Peyton and Carla Espinoza were all federal immigration judges fired this month by email. The three ruled on thousands of immigration cases in Chicago and Boston.
Pappas served as an immigration judge in Boston until this week, overseeing more than 2,000 cases during his two years on the bench. Peyton led Chicago’s immigration court for nearly nine years, hearing thousands of cases until she was abruptly fired over the 4th of July weekend.
Peyton oversaw Espinoza, who was appointed in 2023 and decided more than 1,000 cases in the last fiscal year, double the average for immigration judges.
Peyton told CBS News she received no reason for her firing. Immigration judges are under the authority of the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review.
Extra Information:
Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR): Learn more about the agency overseeing immigration judges.
How the U.S. Immigration System Works: A detailed overview of immigration court processes.
People Also Ask About:
- Why are immigration judges being fired? Allegations suggest political pressure and policy changes under the Trump administration.
- What is the role of an immigration judge? They adjudicate immigration cases, deciding on deportation, asylum, and other matters.
- How do judge firings affect immigrants? Firings can lead to case delays and concerns about due process.
- Who oversees immigration judges? The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) under the Department of Justice.
Expert Opinion:
“The systematic removal of experienced immigration judges disrupts judicial independence and raises serious questions about the integrity of the immigration court system. This trend could have long-lasting consequences for due process and immigrant rights,” says Jonathan Smith, Legal Analyst at the Immigration Justice Center.
Key Terms:
- Immigration court system
- Due process in immigration
- Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
- Deportation hearings
- Immigration judge firings
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
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