<div itemscope itemtype=”http://schema.org/Article”>
<h3 itemprop=”name”>
<!–ARTICLE TITLE START–>
Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union
<!–END ARTICLE TITLE–>
</h3><h4><i>by <a href=”http://discuss.ilw.com/articles/articles/391447-article-trump-administration-moves-to-%E2%80%98disband-and-destroy%E2%80%99-immigration-judges-union-by-melissa-cruz#bio”>
<span itemprop=”author” itemscope itemtype=”http://schema.org/Person”>
<span itemprop=”name”>
<!–AUTHOR NAME START–>
Melissa Cruz
<!–END AUTHOR NAME–>
</span></span>
</a></i></h4><br/>
<span itemprop=”articleBody”>
<article id=”post-30834″ class=”module single-post-module post-30834 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-due-process-immigration category-immigration-courts tag-department-of-justice tag-immigration-court-backlog tag-immigration-judges tag-jeff-sessions-immigration et-has-post-format-content et_post_format-et-post-format-standard”>
<div class=”post-thumbnail header”>
<img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/immigration-impact-trump-destroy-judges-union-1280×640.jpg” alt=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union”> </div>
<div class=”post-wrap”>
<div class=”post-content entry-content”>
<div class=”at-above-post addthis_tool” data-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”></div><p>Immigration judges around the country are denouncing the Trump administration’s latest move to “disband and destroy” their union.</p>
<p>The judges’ union has been openly critical of the administration’s immigration enforcement agenda.</p>
<p>The Department of Justice (DOJ) <a href=”https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/456991-trump-admin-looking-to-possibly-decertify-immigration-judges-union” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>filed a petition</a> to the Federal Labor Relations Authority on Friday asking to revoke the National Association of Immigration Judges’ (<a href=”https://www.naij-usa.org/about” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>NAIJ</a>) union certification. Department officials claim that NAIJ members are “management officials” and therefore banned from collectively organizing.</p>
<blockquote><p>Judge Amiena Khan, vice president of NAIJ, says the step to decertify is a “a misguided effort to minimize our impact. We serve as a check and balance… and that’s why they are doing this to us.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Under their official capacity as DOJ employees, immigration judges cannot publicly speak out on issues that could be considered political. But representatives of the union can discuss—and criticize—DOJ policies on behalf of its members. They have done so since the union’s founding in 1971.</p>
<p>But tensions between the department and immigration judges have only escalated in recent years. The union has even <a href=”https://www.aila.org/advo-media/aila-correspondence/2019/legal-associations-call-independent-court-system” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>called on Congress</a> to remove the immigration court system from the DOJ and establish it as an independent entity.</p>
<p>In 2018, the Trump administration implemented <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2018/10/01/immigration-court-quotas-call-reform/#.XVGok-hKjKk” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>case completion quotas</a> as part of immigration judges’ performance reviews, compelling them to decide cases under strict deadlines. The quota was set in place to tackle the growing backlog of pending cases, which now totals <a href=”https://www.justice.gov/eoir/page/file/1060836/download” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>more than 930,300</a>.</p>
<p>The quotas do not take the complexity of a case into consideration, nor the due process rights granted to all immigrants in court. Judges also risk termination if they do not complete the quota deadline.</p>
<p>NAIJ called the move a “death knell for judicial independence in the immigration courts.”</p>
<p>At the same time, then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions stripped judges of their ability to <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2018/05/18/sessions-administrative-closure-immigration-court/#.XVGpDuhKjKk” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>manage their caseload</a> by taking away a vital case management tool. He also made it more difficult for judges to <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/03/22/reform-dysfunctional-immigration-court-system/#.XVGo3ehKjKk” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>grant asylum</a> to domestic violence victims, as well as dismiss cases.</p>
<p>These changes are amounting to a slower system with an increased backlog. Immigration judge and NAIJ President Ashley Tabaddor <a href=”https://www.themarshallproject.org/2019/07/16/trump-tried-to-deport-people-faster-immigration-courts-slowed-down-instead” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>noted</a> last month:</p>
<blockquote><p>“…It’s just a lot of chaos and counterproductive measures that undermine the ability of judges to use their expertise to help a case go through the system.”</p></blockquote>
<p>The call to dismantle the union appears to fall under that same goal of undermining and silencing immigration judges.</p>
<p>NAIJ plans to respond to the administration’s petition once it receives an official notice from the Federal Labor Relations Authority. The agency will then likely investigate NAIJ to determine whether its certification can be revoked.</p>
<p>The union once faced <a href=”https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/10/us/immigration-judges-union-justice-department.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”>similar threats</a> under President Bill Clinton and survived. For the sake of due process, the outcome will hopefully be the same this time too.</p>
<!– AddThis Advanced Settings above via filter on the_content –><!– AddThis Advanced Settings below via filter on the_content –><!– AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content –><!– AddThis Share Buttons above via filter on the_content –><!– AddThis Share Buttons below via filter on the_content –><div class=”at-below-post addthis_tool” data-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”></div><!– AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content –><!– AddThis Related Posts below via filter on the_content –><div class=”at-below-post-recommended addthis_tool”></div><!– AddThis Related Posts generic via filter on the_content –> <p>
</p>
FILED UNDER: <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/tag/department-of-justice/” rel=”tag”>Department of Justice</a>, <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/tag/immigration-court-backlog/” rel=”tag”>immigration court backlog</a>, <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/tag/immigration-judges/” rel=”tag”>immigration judges</a>, <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/tag/jeff-sessions-immigration/” rel=”tag”>Jeff Sessions</a><br> </div>
</div>
<div class=”post-footer”>
<div class=”social-icons ed-social-share-icons”>
<p class=”share-title”>Share:</p>
<a href=”http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&t=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Facebook” data-network-name=”facebook” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-facebook et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union%20http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Twitter” data-network-name=”twitter” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-twitter et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”https://plus.google.com/share?url=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&t=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Google +” data-network-name=”googleplus” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-googleplus et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”https://www.tumblr.com/share?v=3&u=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&t=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Tumblr” data-network-name=”tumblr” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-tumblr et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”http://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&description=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union&media=http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/immigration-impact-trump-destroy-judges-union-150×150.jpg” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Pinterest” data-network-name=”pinterest” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-pinterest et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&title=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via LinkedIn” data-network-name=”linkedin” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-linkedin et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”https://bufferapp.com/add?url=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&title=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Buffer” data-network-name=”buffer” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-buffer et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”http://www.stumbleupon.com/badge?url=http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/&title=Trump%20Administration%20Moves%20to%20%E2%80%98Disband%20and%20Destroy%E2%80%99%20Immigration%20Judges%20Union” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Stumbleupon” data-network-name=”stumbleupon” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-stumbleupon et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”#” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Email” data-network-name=”basic_email” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-basic_email et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a><a href=”#” class=”social-share-link” title=”Share "Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union" via Print” data-network-name=”basic_print” data-share-title=”Trump Administration Moves to ‘Disband and Destroy’ Immigration Judges Union” data-share-url=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/”>
<span class=”et-extra-icon et-extra-icon-basic_print et-extra-icon-background-hover”></span>
</a> </div>
<style type=”text/css” id=”rating-stars” style=”cursor: pointer;”>
.post-footer .rating-stars #rated-stars img.star-on,
.post-footer .rating-stars #rating-stars img.star-on {
background-color: #3c3c46;
}
<img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/themes/Extra/images/star-full.svg” alt=”1″ title=”bad” class=”rating-star rating-star-1 star-off”><img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/themes/Extra/images/star-full.svg” alt=”2″ title=”poor” class=”rating-star rating-star-2 star-off”><img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/themes/Extra/images/star-full.svg” alt=”3″ title=”regular” class=”rating-star rating-star-3 star-off”><img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/themes/Extra/images/star-full.svg” alt=”4″ title=”good” class=”rating-star rating-star-4 star-off”><img src=”http://immigrationimpact.com/wp-content/themes/Extra/images/star-full.svg” alt=”5″ title=”gorgeous” class=”rating-star rating-star-5 star-off”><input type=”hidden” name=”score”></style>
</div>
</article>
<p>This post originally appeared on <a href=”http://immigrationimpact.com/2019/08/12/trump-immigration-judges-union/#.XVcH8OhKhPZ” target=”_blank”>Immigration Impact</a>. Reprinted with permission.</p>
</span>
<hr/><h4>
<a name=”bio”></a>
About The Author<br/>
</h4>
<!–AUTHOR BIO START–>
<p>
<b>Melissa Cruz</b> is author at Immigration Impact.
</p>
<!–END AUTHOR BIO–>
<p><hr/>
<div class=”ilwFinePrint”>The opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinion of <span itemprop=”publisher” itemscope itemtype=”http://schema.org/Organization”>
<span itemprop=”name”>ILW.COM</span></span>.</div></p>
</div>
{$inline_image
