MENG DEMANDS ANSWERS FROM AG BONDI ON THE ABRUPT FIRING OF EIGHT IMMIGRATION JUDGES AT 26 FEDERAL PLAZA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-NY), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS), announced today that she sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) demanding answers about eight judges who were abruptly fired from New York's Federal Plaza Immigration Court.

On Monday December 1, 2025, the DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review reportedly fired eight out of 34 federal immigration judges serving at 26 Federal Plaza in New York without cause or explanation. Immigration judges serving on this court are non-partisan civil servants. This news comes after months-long reports of ICE agents violating long-standing Department of Homeland Security policies by making arrests outside of courtrooms, assaults on court observers and journalists, and inhumane conditions in the holding facility in 26 Federal Plaza.

In the letter, Ranking Member Meng wrote, "Immigration courts throughout the United States currently face a backlog of almost 4 million cases, a figure that, according to DOJ's own data, has consistently increased since at least 2015. The CJS Subcommittee highlighted concerns about this backlog during both the first Trump Administration and the Biden Administration. And yet, under the second Trump Administration, 'more than 100 immigration judges out of 700 have been fired or pushed out' this year. Not only have these workforce reductions worsened the case backlog, but they have also placed pressure on remaining judges to complete greater numbers of cases, very likely at the expense of thoughtful consideration of the merits of each and every case-at the expense of due process and justice. Further, these actions and the resulting delays in proceedings penalize immigrants and their family members who are trying to follow the law by applying for legal status and showing up for their hearings."

Specifically, Meng is demanding answers to the following questions:

1. Please provide the cause for the termination of each individual immigration judge.
2. Please provide the performance ratings for each of these terminated individuals.
3. How many of these terminated individuals were on probationary status?
4. 4Were any of these individuals hired under preferences, including veterans' or military spouses' preference?
5. What is the current number of pending immigration cases at 26 Federal Plaza and how many cases were assigned to each of the terminated judges?
6. Please also provide the number of cases that will now require appearance dates later than 2026 as a result of the reassignment of these cases.
7. Does DOJ intend to replace these individuals?
   1. If so, when does DOJ expect to do so, and under what timeline? Please provide the number of individuals hired to fill these newly opened positions who are receiving a recruitment or retention bonus as advertised on the Department's join.justice.gov website and on USAjobs.org.
   2. If not, please explain why not and whether there will be further reductions to staffing at this facility.
8. Please provide any and all changes the DOJ has made since January 20, 2025 to chief judges, assistant chief judges, and other judicial supervisory leadership for each of the immigration courts with jurisdiction over charging documents.
9. Please provide the total number of immigration judges terminated nationwide since January 20, 2025.
   1. Please provide the numbers of immigration judges terminated since January 20 who were terminated for cause and not for cause.
   2. Please explain how these terminations have helped to decrease the backlog facing immigration courts.

A copy of the letter can be viewed here.

The CJS Subcommittee funds federal agencies including the Department of Commerce, Justice Department, NASA, National Science Foundation, and programs and projects that advance civil rights, trade, and technology.