The U.S. Swore In 82 New Immigration Judges—The Largest Intake in Justice Department History

The U.S. Department of Justice has sworn in 82 new immigration judges who will handle migrant deportation cases, CBS reports.

The new group includes 77 permanent judges and five temporary ones. The department said it marks the largest expansion of the immigration judge corps in the ministry’s history.

Over the past year, Donald Trump’s administration initiated the dismissal of dozens of immigration judges whom the White House considered insufficiently tough on deportations. As a result, the number of judges fell from roughly 700 to around 600, slowing the processing of immigration cases.

The Justice Department said the new appointments would restore the number of immigration judges to roughly its previous level—around 700.

The U.S. Swore In 82 New Immigration Judges—The Largest Intake in Justice Department History

Trump’s Administration Had Earlier Fired Dozens of Judges It Considered Insufficiently Tough on Deportations