Trump admin. has fired four S.F. immigration judges since April

The Trump administration dismissed four immigration judges in San Francisco, including Ila Deiss, known for her 93. 7 percent asylum approval rate since 2019. This decision reduces the number of judges in the San Francisco Immigration Court to nine vacancies across 26 courtrooms, exacerbating an ongoing staffing crisis. The firings are part of a broader trend, with at least 17 judges removed nationwide across 10 states. Judges Roger Dinh, Elisa Brasil, and Jami Vigil were terminated in April, just shy of their two-year probationary periods.

Dinh's asylum approval rate stood at 34. 6 percent, significantly below the national average. Immigration specialists highlighted that these firings coincide with ICE's routine arrests of asylum-seekers at court hearings. Milli Atkinson from the Bar Association of San Francisco noted an additional judge, Kyra Lilien, was also fired recently. The Executive Office for Immigration Review has not commented on the firings, raising concerns about the implications for asylum-seekers.