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

The Department of Justice fired Judge Chloe S. Dillon, who granted asylum in 96. 5 percent of her cases in San Francisco. Her dismissal follows the firing of four other judges with high asylum grant rates since April. Dillon was reportedly outside her two-year probation period, making her firing significant within the context of immigration judicial practices.

Immigration judges are employees of the Justice Department and can be dismissed at the president's discretion. The Justice Department has not responded to inquiries regarding her termination. Recent events in Dillon's courtroom included the arrest of an asylum-seeker immediately following a hearing, highlighting the tense atmosphere surrounding such cases. Nationally, over 50 immigration judges have been dismissed this year under the Trump administration, despite a backlog of approximately 3. 5 million immigration cases.

Critics argue these firings are politically motivated, raising concerns about the integrity of the immigration judicial system.