Overview
- Nine of the 21 judges serving in January 2025 have departed through firings, buyouts or resignations, leaving 14 permanent and two temporary judges on the Chicago bench.
- New EOIR guidance allows immediate bench rulings on motions to dismiss and bars scheduling follow-up hearings for decisions, requiring time-consuming written opinions instead.
- Chicago’s backlog stands at roughly 220,000 cases, down from a 2024 peak above 260,000, yet dockets have grown heavier for remaining judges as departing judges’ caseloads are redistributed.
- The National Association of Immigration Judges reports about 103 judges fired nationwide and a comparable number taking buyouts or quitting, signaling a broader workforce shake-up.
- The government has begun deploying military judges, including two in Chicago, and fired leaders such as Jennifer Peyton and former chief judge Sheila McNulty have filed administrative challenges.