The Trump administration has begun a hiring campaign for what Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called "deportation" judges.
"If you are a legal professional, the Trump Administration is calling on YOU to join @TheJusticeDept as a Deportation Judge to restore integrity and honor to our Nation's Immigration Court system," Noem posted on X.
Her post mentioned the potential of full-time remote work.
Otherwise, the positions are offered at 70 locations nationwide with a salary range of $159,951 to $207,500.
Federal immigration judges are tasked with ensuring compliance with U.S. law, combating fraud, and preventing attempts to exploit weaknesses in the immigration system, according to the Justice Department's recruiting site, join.justice.gov.
Their responsibilities include presiding over cases in federal immigration court and deciding whether a noncitizen must leave the country or is permitted to remain.
Judges are expected to apply immigration laws consistently while weighing cases that can carry long-term consequences for families. Their decisions determine which applicants have legally valid claims to stay in the United States and which do not.
The administration said it wants immigration judges who can restore integrity and trust in the nation's immigration court system.
In a post on X, the DOJ wrote: "The Trump administration has secured the southern border — but after four years of crisis, there's still work to do. If you're a lawyer called to serve, we need YOU to protect our borders."
In September, the DOJ announced new rules for the appointment of temporary judges handling immigration cases.
The DOJ said previous controls on who could perform the duties of a judge handling immigration cases were far too strict and prevented many experienced legal professionals from deciding questions relating to immigration law.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth immediately set in motion a plan to send as many as 600 military lawyers to the DOJ for immigration help.
That move drew sharp criticism from the American Immigration Council.
Senior policy counsel Adriel Orozco said Hegseth's decision was "another example of the Trump administration diverting military resources away from national security and instead toward its mass deportation agenda."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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