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

The Department of Justice terminated Judge Chloe S. Dillon, known for granting asylum in 96. 5% of her cases at the San Francisco immigration court. This firing follows a report highlighting that the Trump administration had already dismissed four other judges in the same court, all of whom had high asylum approval rates. Dillon, hired in 2022, is the second immigration judge fired outside the typical two-year probation period, raising questions about the motivations behind these dismissals.

The Justice Department has not provided comments regarding the firing, which reflects a broader trend of judge terminations; more than 50 immigration judges have been dismissed nationally this year. Immigration judges are employees of the Department of Justice rather than the judicial branch, which allows for their dismissal at the administration's discretion. Reports indicate that asylum-seekers often face arrests immediately after their hearings, creating a chaotic environment in court. Dillon’s courtroom witnessed such an incident recently, where an asylum-seeker was arrested outside, prompting protests. The firings occur amidst a backlog of approximately 3.

5 million immigration cases, raising concerns about the implications for the judicial process and asylum-seeker rights.