Trump admin. fires S.F. immigration judge with high asylum rate
The Department of Justice has fired Judge Chloe S. Dillon, recognized for her 96. 5% asylum approval rate in San Francisco immigration court. This dismissal aligns with a pattern under the Trump administration, which has removed four other judges known for their high asylum granting rates since April. Dillon was reportedly outside the two-year probation period typically imposed on immigration judges, making her firing particularly notable.
Critics assert that these actions reflect a politically motivated effort to reshape the judiciary, as the administration maintains that it can dismiss judges at will. In her courtroom, asylum-seekers frequently faced arrests by ICE agents right after their hearings, raising alarms among advocates. The administration's firings coincide with a backlog of approximately 3. 5 million immigration cases nationwide, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Immigration judges have expressed concerns that these firings undermine judicial independence and fairness.
The Justice Department has not provided a public statement regarding Dillon's case, leaving many questions unanswered.