Pentagon deploys military lawyers as immigration judges amid crisis
- The Department of Defense will assign up to 600 military attorneys as temporary immigration judges to address the backlog.
- Immigrant advocacy groups express concerns regarding the lack of immigration law experience among these judges.
- This development reflects ongoing debates about militarization and immigration policy in the United States.
In a significant shift in U.S. immigration policy, the Department of Defense authorized the assignment of military lawyers to temporarily serve as immigration judges. This decision comes in response to a mounting backlog of immigration cases, which currently stands at nearly 3.7 million. By late August 2025, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had approved the temporary reassignment of 150 military and civilian attorneys to aid the Justice Department in managing these cases. This move has raised concerns among immigrant advocates regarding the qualifications and experience of these temporary judges. The decision to utilize military lawyers as immigration judges follows a recent policy change by the Justice Department's Executive Office for Immigration Review. The new rule eliminated the requirement for immigration law experience for temporary judges, a change that has caused alarms in communities advocating for the rights of immigrants. Andrea Loya, director of the Denver nonprofit Casa de Paz, expressed fears that individuals with little to no experience would be determining the fates of vulnerable populations. This action has intensified debates over the militarization of immigration enforcement in the United States, particularly following a crackdown on immigration policies during the previous Trump administration. The Pentagon and the Justice Department have stated that this approach aims to restore order and expedite backlog resolution efforts. However, many fear it could lead to harsher treatment of immigrants and undermine the integrity of the judicial process. As military lawyers step into these roles, the advocacy community is mobilizing to protect the rights of immigrants and provide support to families facing detention. The historical context of high-stakes immigration laws combined with a surge in cases during the Trump era further complicates the environment, suggesting the need for comprehensive immigration reform in the country. The unfolding situation highlights the persistent issues of an overstretched immigration system that remains under scrutiny for its handling of human rights while grappling with executive-level policy changes.