On Thursday, the U.S. government directed agencies to dismiss nearly all probationary employees who had not yet achieved civil service protection. This decision is set to impact potentially hundreds of thousands of workers across various sectors. Among those affected, 13 judges who had not been sworn in and five assistant chief immigration judges received their dismissal notices without prior warning on Friday.
The move comes as the Trump administration continues efforts to streamline federal operations, aligning with its priorities of mass deportations and reducing federal workforce size. Probationary workers, typically those with less than a year in their positions, are particularly vulnerable in this wave of layoffs.
These developments follow the administration’s recent replacement of five top court officials. This included Mary Cheng, formerly the acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The EOIR, which oversees approximately 700 judges, is currently led by Sirce Owen, who has introduced new directives overturning some policies from the previous administration.
The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, representing federal employees, voiced concerns over these dismissals. Matthew Biggs, a representative of the federation, expressed dismay at the treatment of these workers.
"They're treating these people as if they're not human beings," – Matthew Biggs
Further compounding the issue, the justice department had previously suspended financial support to non-governmental organizations that assist individuals facing deportation. Although this funding was reinstated following a federal lawsuit by a coalition of non-profit groups, the interruption highlighted ongoing challenges within immigration courts.
Immigration courts remain severely backlogged, with over 3.7 million cases awaiting resolution. The process for asylum cases alone often extends over several years. The dismissal of 20 immigration judges without explanation exacerbates this situation, posing significant implications for case processing and individuals seeking asylum.