1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

As your constituent, I am concerned that immigration courts are not independent, but operate under the very Administration seeking deportations. That conflict threatens judicial independence when judges face dismissal or pressure. I urge you to establish independent immigration courts and investigate political interference. IMMIGRATION COURTS MUST BE FREE FROM POLITICAL CONTROL Immigration courts operate inside the Justice Department, under the attorney general. The administration also oversees immigration judges. It can, on its own, remove judges, set binding precedents, and change procedures. Those powers invite pressure in a situation where vital interests such as freedom and safety are at stake. A PATTERN OF ACTIONS THREATENS FAIR HEARINGS The National Association of Immigration Judges reported 113 firings since January 2025 as of April 2026. In August 2025, the department broadened eligibility for temporary judges; military lawyers without extensive immigration-law experience have since been appointed. The attorney general reinstated restrictive asylum precedents affecting domestic-violence survivors and family-based claims. The department cut many appeal deadlines from 30 to 10 days, but a court vacated the change. The Washington Post reports former judge Karen Donoso Stevens says a supervisor ordered her to reverse four bond rulings on orders from higher officials. Her contemporaneous notes and a colleague corroborate key details. If substantiated, this would be direct interference with judicial decisions. These actions raise concerns about case assignments, rules, and judicial independence. Judges make life-changing decisions about whether people may remain with family, receive protection from persecution, or face deportation to places where they risk torture or death. For there to be justice, decisions must rest on law and evidence, not political orders. INDEPENDENT COURTS OFFER A STRUCTURAL SOLUTION The Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2026 would establish independent Article I immigration courts outside Justice Department control. Fifteen-year terms and removal safeguards would protect independence and preserve accountability for misconduct. I urge you to: (1) PASS INDEPENDENT COURT LEGISLATION. Cosponsor S. 5094 or H.R. 7836, as applicable, if not a cosponsor. Press for committee action, a floor vote, and passage. (2) SPEAK OUT PUBLICLY. Condemn politically motivated judge dismissals and attempts to influence rulings. Call for courts independent of the Justice Department. (3) HOLD OVERSIGHT HEARINGS. Urge the Judiciary Committees to obtain records and sworn testimony on dismissals, temporary-judge qualifications, who authorized alleged pressure to reverse rulings, and whether other cases were affected. (4) REQUEST A GAO INVESTIGATION. Ask the GAO to examine how dismissals, hiring changes, and altered precedents and procedures affect fair hearings, and recommend safeguards. Thank you.