SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Trump administration is mobilizing National Guard and Army Reserve attorneys to temporarily serve as immigration judges after a wave of dismissals among existing judges, stirring concerns about potential harm to the integrity of immigration courts and the military justice system.
Training for the first group of Army lawyers commenced on an unspecified date, with a second group expected to follow in the spring. An estimated 100 Army Reserve lawyers will engage in this initiative, with half commencing a six-month stint shortly after their training concludes, as per internal communication reviewed by the Associated Press.
In total, the administration aims to enlist up to 600 military-trained lawyers to aid in the critical decisions determining the residency of immigrants. This shift has raised red flags among activists who question the feasibility and fairness of utilizing military lawyers for such pivotal legal roles as immigration judges, especially as immigration arrests have surged under President Trump's policies.
The backlog in immigration courts has reached alarming levels, with waiting times extending for years, and pending cases have more than doubled within the past four years, now totaling approximately 3.4 million.
Authorities from both the Army and National Guard are expressing a preference to fill these positions through volunteer enlistments. However, the opportunity presents challenges, claiming to provide judicial experience in a high-pressure and nationally significant environment.
Critics argue that immigration judges manage extensive caseloads that undergo substantial scrutiny, where their decisions can determine the fate of immigrant families against the backdrop of a tightening immigration crackdown. Some legal experts are expressing skepticism regarding the training time allotted to prepare these lawyers for their roles as judges.
Historically, immigration judges have needed a vast pool of experience, with many stemming from diverse legal backgrounds including military and federal practices. Yet, this new initiative is perceived as diluting the established expertise needed for such roles.
Legal analysts and immigration advocates emphasize that the administration's move could impede due process and lead to further complications in an already strained judicial system, raising alarms not only for immigrant communities but also among those invested in maintaining the military's integrity in legal proceedings.
