Sacramento Immigration Court Overhaul Under the Trump Administration

Six of the seven immigration judges who were on the Sacramento bench at the start of President Donald Trump’s second term have been dismissed, leaving the court with three judges. The firings occurred over the past year, with the first three—Alison Daw, Loreto Geisse and Print Maggard—removed in September 2025, followed by Denise Hunter in December, and David Neumeister and Vikram Badrinath this summer. Two new judges, Joseph Weiner (transferred from West Los Angeles) and Bayleigh Pettigrew (appointed in May), were added as part of the Justice Department’s effort to “reestablish an immigration judge corps.” The Executive Office for Immigration Review declined comment on personnel matters.

Sacramento Bee

The dismissals are part of a broader DOJ initiative that has eliminated roughly 125 immigration judges nationwide since President Trump returned to office. The administration argues the changes aim to restore “integrity” after what it describes as a de-facto amnesty under the previous administration. Data from Syracuse University’s Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse indicate that the six dismissed Sacramento judges granted asylum at higher rates and denied relief at lower rates than national averages. Nationally, the asylum grant rate fell to about 5.5%—down from roughly 32% at the end of former President Joe Biden’s term. Critics note that the pattern of removals also includes judges appointed during the Biden era, women, and those with Hispanic-sounding surnames.

Sacramento Bee

• Jeremiah Johnson – Vice president, National Association of Immigration Judges; former San Francisco immigration judge.

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• Matt Biggs – President, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (affiliated with the National Association of Immigration Judges).

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• Blake Nordahl – Director, immigration clinic, University of the Pacific’s McGeorge Law School.

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The agency’s announcement framed the new appointments as a step toward “reestablishing an immigration judge corps” focused on “restoring the rule of law.” The Executive Office for Immigration Review provided no comment on the specific personnel actions.

Sacramento Bee

• “What you’re seeing is this administration and the executive wanting to dismantle the immigration court system,” — Jeremiah Johnson, vice president of the National Association of Immigration Judges.

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