A new report claims that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has authorized up to 600 military lawyers to assist the U.S. Justice Department as temporary immigration judges.
The Associated Press reported that a memorandum reviewed by the outlet shows that Hegseth has approved plans to have up to 600 military lawyers appointed as temporary immigration judges amid President Donald Trump’s effort to crack down on illegal immigration across the country.
The memorandum, which was issued on August 27, indicates that the Pentagon will start sending groups of 150 military and civilian attorneys to the Justice Department “as soon as practicable.” The Associated Press reported that the first round of attorneys provided by the Pentagon should be identified by next week.
According to The Associated Press, the memorandum was sent to an official at the Justice Department by the Pentagon’s executive secretary. The outlet noted that the memorandum explained that the Justice Department requested the Pentagon’s help to address immigration cases. According to the memorandum, while the military attorneys’ appointment as temporary immigration judges will not initially last beyond 179 days, the attorneys could have their duties renewed after the 179-day period.
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According to NPR, the Pentagon’s memorandum comes after the Justice Department authorized changes regarding the qualifications for individuals serving as temporary immigration judges last week.
The Associated Press reported that the National Association of Immigration Judges, which represents U.S. immigration judges, has claimed that over 100 immigration judges have either voluntarily left or been fired under the Trump administration, leaving roughly 600 immigration judges to manage a major backlog of immigration cases. The Pentagon’s new plan to provide assistance to the Justice Department could double the current number of immigration judges.
An anonymous White House official told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the Trump administration is currently considering multiple options to address the backlog of immigration cases, such as hiring more judges to oversee the cases. The official emphasized that the immigration issue should be “a priority that everyone — including those waiting for adjudication — can rally around.”
According to the memorandum obtained by The Associated Press, the deployment of military attorneys to the Justice Department depends on the availability of the attorneys. The memorandum also noted that the Pentagon may need to mobilize reserve officers.
