Trump admin. fires S.F. immigration judge with high asylum rate

The Department of Justice dismissed Judge Chloe S. Dillon, whose asylum grant rate reached 96. 5%, from her role at the San Francisco immigration court. This decision aligns with a broader trend, as four other judges were fired in recent months for granting asylum at rates exceeding the national average of 42. 3%.

Dillon's removal marks her as the second immigration judge in San Francisco to be discharged outside the usual two-year probation period. Under the Trump administration, immigration judges face a challenging environment, where asylum-seekers often encounter arrests immediately after hearings. In Dillon's courtroom, an asylum-seeker was apprehended just days before her firing, highlighting the volatility of immigration proceedings. Immigration judges are employed by the Justice Department, which maintains that they can be dismissed at will by the president. Nationally, the Trump administration has terminated over 50 immigration judges this year, despite a backlog of approximately 3.

5 million cases. This situation raises concerns among immigration judges who have expressed that these firings are politically motivated.