The US Justice Department is taking steps to remove immigration judges who it says are ruling too slowly or are not following immigration law, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche says. Speaking after an appearance in Phoenix at the Border Security Expo, Blanche described the effort as part of broader changes to immigration courts as the Trump administration seeks to reduce a large backlog and accelerate deportation-related proceedings.
Blanche, who has led the Justice Department since Pam Bondi was ousted last month, framed the measures as efforts to “remake” the immigration courts and address delays. He cited the scale of the backlog—about 3.7 million pending cases—as a central concern. The department’s focus, according to Blanche, is on judicial performance and adherence to legal requirements, with the goal of improving the speed and consistency of decisions.
Multiple outlets report that Blanche’s remarks outline the Justice Department’s intent to target judges viewed as slow or noncompliant, linking court-management changes to the administration’s immigration enforcement priorities.
