Imagine being fired in the middle of a courtroom session, with vulnerable asylum seekers watching. On Nov. 21, 2025, that’s exactly what happened to Shuting Chen, a San Francisco immigration judge, as she received a termination email mid-hearing for three Venezuelan siblings fleeing persecution.
This judge's abrupt dismissal, part of President Donald Trump’s deportation crackdown that has seen 90 immigration judges terminated nationwide, underscores a seismic shift in policy, as the Daily Mail reports.
Chen, 41, appointed under the Biden administration in 2022, was overseeing a critical asylum case when the “notice of termination” flashed across her screen. The emotional toll was immediate, as she broke down in tears before the court attendees.
The Venezuelan siblings, already enduring years of waiting after escaping persecution, now face further delays, potentially waiting years for another hearing. This setback highlights the human cost of rapid policy shifts in immigration courts.
Chen’s firing is not an isolated incident. Since President Trump’s return to the White House, at least 90 judges, many with histories of defending immigrants, have been dismissed across the U.S., signaling a hardline stance on immigration enforcement.
Just this week, Chen joined four other judges who were terminated without any public explanation. The lack of transparency raises questions about the criteria behind these sudden removals.
The broader context is staggering: the U.S. immigration court backlog has ballooned to a record 3.4 million cases. Each dismissal of experienced judges like Chen only exacerbates delays for countless families seeking refuge.
In San Francisco, a venue historically seen as favorable to asylum seekers, the Department of Justice slashed about one-third of its judges in October. Starting the year with 21 judges, the court now operates with just nine.
Meanwhile, Immigration and Customs Enforcement has deported nearly 5,500 individuals from California alone in the first seven months of the year. This aggressive enforcement aligns with the administration’s clear intent to prioritize deportations over prolonged legal proceedings.
The Trump administration isn’t just removing judges; it’s actively recruiting replacements with a pointed agenda. New job postings for “deportation judge” positions have surfaced, a term that suggests a predetermined bias in case outcomes.
Adding to this, the Department of Homeland Security has urged applicants to “bring the hammer down on criminal illegal aliens” in its advertisements. Such language reveals a stark departure from judicial neutrality, raising concerns about fairness in immigration courts.
As the DOJ defends these moves, claiming they aim to enforce laws neglected under Biden, it’s worth noting NBC reports no evidence exists of Biden directing judges to rule specifically. This suggests the current policy is more about optics than correcting past wrongs.
Other judges have faced similar fates, with Judge Jeremiah Johnson also terminated on Nov. 21, and former Bay Area judge Kyra Lilien fired mid-hearing in October. These abrupt dismissals disrupt ongoing cases and erode trust in the system.
“The DOJ appears to be hinting at judges to ‘decide cases a certain way’ and ‘move faster with less due process,’” said Johnson.
While Johnson’s concern about due process is valid, the reality is that a 3.4 million-case backlog demands efficiency, not endless deliberation. President Trump’s approach, though jarring, may be the tough medicine needed to restore order to a broken system.
