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Original Date Announced
February 4, 2026Bloomberg Law reports that top immigration-court officials have instructed newly hired judges to grant asylum only in rare circumstances, according to people familiar with recent DOJ training sessions. The recruits, many of them military lawyers with short-term appointments, received only a few weeks of training. Recruits were also encouraged to adjudicate cases quickly and advised to deny asylum without holding hearings.
Judges must adhere to performance metrics established in September 2025, requiring them to hear four to six cases per day, more than the roughly three-per-day standard under Biden. Early analysis suggests that temporary military judges who joined in October 2025 issued relief at lower rates compared to other judges starting in November and December.
Trump 2.0 [ID #2194]
2026.02.04 Reported: Trump Immigration Judges Pushed to Deny Asylum in Swift Training - Bloomberg LawEffective Date
February 4, 2026Current Status
NoneOriginal Trump Policy Status
Status: ReportedTrump Administration Action: Agency DirectiveSubject Matter: Asylum, Withholding and CATAgencies Affected: EOIRAssociated or Derivative Policies
Documents
Trump-Era Policy Documents
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Commentary
2026.09.25 Chicago Sun-Times: It’s now nearly impossible to get asylum in Chicago immigration court
An investigation by the Chicago Sun-Times and WBEZ documents how administrative pressures, judicial turnover, and accelerated dockets have made obtaining asylum in Chicago immigration court nearly impossible. The report details how judges are increasingly driven to deny claims quickly, leaving vulnerable respondents facing imminent deportation.
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