Washington, DC - The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the investiture of 20 new immigration judges Friday, including three new assistant chief immigration judges. The introduction of this class marks the most recent step in the ongoing development and expansion of the nationwide corps of professional adjudicators who resolve questions regarding the legal status of aliens in the United States and adjudicate claims of relief or protection from removal, such as asylum or withholding of removal.
“To provide for timely, efficient, and lawful resolution of immigration cases, the Department of Justice has prioritized the growth of EOIR’s corps of immigration judges and expansion of courtroom capacity for these officials to hear cases,” said Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey A. Rosen. “These have been longstanding challenges for the immigration system.”
Since Jan. 20, 2017, the department has increased EOIR’s immigration judge corps from 306 to 520 adjudicators – an increase of nearly 70 percent. During that same period, the agency has opened 137 new courtrooms for immigration proceedings, an increase in courtroom capacity of more than 40 percent. This expansion of critical space for immigration judges to operate and resolve requests for relief is the direct result of a strategic partnership between EOIR and the General Services Administration, which has fostered innovative approaches to acquiring and designing space for immigration proceedings.
“Since 2017, EOIR has responded to the calls of stakeholders by devoting expanded resources to the hiring of quality immigration judges and expanding opportunities for aliens to receive more timely resolution of their cases,” said EOIR Director James McHenry. “I am proud of those efforts, and EOIR will continue to take steps to ensure every alien’s case is adjudicated in a timely manner consistent with due process.”
The names of each new judge along with his or her biographical description and assigned court location is attached in an EOIR notice available here. Information about the operational status of immigration courts nationwide can be accessed here.
