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

The Department of Justice fired Judge Chloe S. Dillon, who had a remarkable asylum approval rate of 96. 5% in San Francisco's immigration court. This dismissal reflects the Trump administration's pattern of removing judges who frequently grant asylum, with over 50 immigration judges reportedly terminated nationwide this year. Dillon, hired in 2022, was outside the usual two-year probation period, making her the second known immigration judge in San Francisco to be dismissed under similar circumstances.

Asylum-seekers in San Francisco often face arrests immediately after court hearings, despite judges denying federal motions meant to prevent such actions. Dillon's courtroom was no exception, with a recent incident where an asylum-seeker was arrested just outside her courtroom. The Justice Department and San Francisco Immigration Court have not responded to inquiries about her firing. This situation highlights the ongoing tension between judicial independence and executive authority in immigration proceedings. The high clearance rate of judges like Dillon raises concerns about the politicization of the immigration judiciary amid a backlog of approximately 3.

5 million cases.