Story perspectives

Trump Fires Immigration Judges Amid Asylum Grant Decline

4/12/2026

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump’s administration fired Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, immigration judges, signaling a push to reshape immigration courts.
Immigration judges are employed by Justice Department and can be dismissed by Attorney General, facing pressure to deny asylum claims and expedite deportations.
The firings occurred alongside four other judges, affecting cases against Rumeysa Ozturk and Mohsen Mahdawi, as deportations rise and asylum grants fall to lowest level since 2009.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump’s administration fired Roopal Patel and Nina Froes, immigration judges, signaling a push to reshape immigration courts.
Immigration judges are employed by Justice Department and can be dismissed by Attorney General, facing pressure to deny asylum claims and expedite deportations.
The firings occurred alongside four other judges, affecting cases against Rumeysa Ozturk and Mohsen Mahdawi, as deportations rise and asylum grants fall to lowest level since 2009.