Story perspectives
600 Military Lawyers Deployed to Tackle Immigration Court Backlog
9/3/2025
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Story summary
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the deployment of up to 600 military lawyers as temporary immigration judges.
- Immigration courts currently have a backlog of 3.5 million cases, exacerbated by recent judge firings.
- This initiative, requested by the Justice Department, will last up to 179 days with possible extensions.
- A White House official highlighted the importance of resolving immigration cases promptly.
