Trump DOJ Fires Immigration Judges in San Francisco, Raising Concerns of Court Takeover

The Department of Justice has dismissed nearly a quarter of San Francisco’s immigration judges just seven months into President Donald Trump’s term, a move that has sparked concerns over political interference in the nation’s immigration courts.

Among those removed was Judge Chloe Dillon, who had served on the bench for three years. Records show Dillon had granted asylum in the vast majority of cases before her, approving 96% of petitions, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Advocates say such dismissals could have a chilling effect on judges and applicants alike, especially those seeking asylum in the Bay Area.

“It’s unjust. It’s unfair,” said Molly McGettigan, a volunteer court observer. She described visibly upset judges when federal agents appeared in their courtrooms.

The firings coincide with a policy memo from the Justice Department suggesting that judges with “statistically improbable outcome metrics” could be targeted for review, raising questions about whether those with higher approval rates are being singled out.

For Bay Area families, the changes are already being felt. One woman in court for her final hearing, translated for by her daughter who speaks both English and Spanish, noted that her new judge had only a 42% approval rate. “The judge that I got is very strict,” she said.

Advocates like Sonica Mahajan from the San Francisco Rapid Response Network argue the administration’s moves are part of a broader strategy. “They’re going to use these outlier rates specifically for their agenda — to dismiss judges that have a high approval rate,” she said.

With immigrant communities already on edge due to stepped-up arrests, the shakeup in San Francisco’s courts has only deepened fear and uncertainty.

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