SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration fired 20 immigration judges without explanation, a union official said Saturday amid sweeping moves to shrink the size of the federal government.
On Friday, 13 judges who had yet to be sworn in and five assistant chief immigration judges were dismissed without notice, said Matthew Biggs, president of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, which represents federal workers. Two other judges were fired under similar circumstances in the last week.
It was unclear if they would be replaced. The U.S. Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review, which runs the courts and oversees its roughly 700 judges, did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Immigration courts are backlogged with more than 3.7 million cases, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, and it takes years to decide asylum cases. There is support across the political spectrum for more judges and support staff, though the first Trump administration also pressured some judges to decide cases more quickly.
The Trump administration earlier replaced five top court officials, including Mary Cheng, the agency's acting director. Sirce Owen, the current leader and previously an appellate immigration judge, has issued a slew of new instructions, many reversing policies of the Biden administration.
Last month, the Justice Department halted financial support for nongovernmental organizations to provide information and guidance to people facing deportation but restored funding after a coalition of nonprofit groups filed a federal lawsuit.
The firings touch on two top Trump priorities: mass deportations and shrinking the size of the federal government. On Thursday, it ordered agencies to lay off nearly all probationary employees who had not yet gained civil service protection, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of workers. Probationary workers generally have less than a year on the job.
Biggs, the union official, said he didn't know if the judges' firings were intended to send a message on immigration policy and characterized them as part of a campaign across the federal workforce.
“They're treating these people as if they're not human beings,” he said. “It's bad all around.”
FILE - An officer listens to a question as he directs people to a courtroom, Jan. 10, 2024, in an immigration court in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
FILE - After waiting in a cue, people are led into a downtown Chicago building where an immigration court presides, Nov. 12, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists, Jonathan Toews scored for the fourth consecutive game and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Thursday night.
Toews also had an assist, Gabriel Vilardi and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist, and Tanner Pearson and Logan Stanley scored as Winnipeg tied its season high for goals.
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves as the Jets won their fourth straight following an 11-game losing streak (0-7-4). Winnipeg is 9-1-1 in its past 11 games against the Wild, including six straight wins in Minnesota.
Danila Yurov and Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild, who are 1-3-2 in their last six games. Jesper Wallstedt made 14 saves in two periods; Filip Gustavsson had eight in the third.
Minnesota had the game’s first 10 shots on goal, but Winnipeg scored first when, with a two-man advantage, Toews poked in a rebound of Vilardi's shot.
It was the 900th career point for Toews, who last had goals in four straight games in March 2014. He had three goals in his first 42 games this season.
Pearson put home his own rebound with 11 seconds left in the opening period. A one-timer from Morrissey made it 3-0 eight seconds later.
It was the fastest two goals scored since the franchise relocated to Winnipeg. Ron Hainsey and Chris Thorburn scored seven seconds apart for the Atlanta Thrashers on Dec. 2, 2008.
Yurov got the Wild within 3-1 early in the second period, but Stanley scored on a slap shot, Vilardi on a rebound and Scheifele went bar down later in the frame for his 13th career four-point game.
Morrissey’s assist on Vilardi’s goal gave him 90 career multipoint games, passing Dustin Byfuglien for the most by a defenseman in Jets history.
Jets: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Wild: Begin a three-game trip Saturday at Buffalo.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Winnipeg Jets left wing Cole Koepke (45) tries to slap the puck away from Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) stops a shot as defenseman Jared Spurgeon, left and defenseman Daemon Hunt, second from right, tries to clear Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) and center Gabriel Vilardi (13) from the goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets left wing Tanner Pearson (70) hits the puck over Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to score a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley, second from right, celebrates with right wing Nino Niederreiter (62), center Vladislav Namestnikov (7) and center Cole Perfetti (91) after scoring against the Minnesota Wild during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) scores a goal as he's checked by Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton (5) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
