Trump administration dismisses eight immigration judges in New York

The United States Department of Justice has dismissed eight immigration judges in New York City, the association representing them said on Tuesday, amid ongoing tensions with the courts as President Donald Trump’s administration intensifies its crackdown on undocumented migrants.

According to the National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ), which confirmed media reports, all eight judges had been working at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan. The address houses a court that hears cases involving migrants seeking to regularise their immigration status.

For several months, masked federal officers have been patrolling the corridors of the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on a daily basis. The officers have made arrests of migrants as they leave their hearings, often in full view of the press, which is frequently present.

Images circulating worldwide of scuffles with police and of immigrant families being separated have made 26 Federal Plaza a symbolic location representing the Trump administration’s nationwide crackdown on migrants.

The reason behind the dismissal of the eight New York judges remains unclear. However, according to a report by the New York Times, they join approximately 90 judges dismissed over the course of the year across the United States, out of a total of roughly 600.

Migrant advocacy groups view these dismissals as an attempt to replace outgoing judges with individuals more closely aligned with the administration’s immigration policies.

The dismissals followed a weekend gathering in Manhattan, where several dozen people came together in an effort to prevent a possible Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid targeting street vendors. New York police made several arrests.

As a so-called sanctuary city for migrants, New York City voluntarily limits cooperation between local authorities and federal immigration services. However, this does not halt federal operations.

Khaborwala/SS