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demmiblue

(38,718 posts)
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:18 PM Sep 2

Pentagon authorizes up to 600 military lawyers to serve as temporary immigration judges

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved sending up to 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department to serve as temporary immigration judges, according to a memo reviewed by The Associated Press.

The military will begin sending groups of 150 attorneys — both military and civilians — to the Justice Department “as soon as practicable,” and the military services should have the first round of people identified by next week, according to the Aug. 27 memo.

The effort comes as the Trump administration is cracking down on illegal immigration by ramping up arrests and deportations. And immigration courts already are dealing with a massive backlog of roughly 3.5 million cases that has ballooned in recent years.

At the same time, more than 100 immigration judges have been fired or left voluntarily after taking deferred resignations offered by the Trump administration, their union says. In the most recent round of terminations, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers said in July that at least 17 immigration judges had been fired “without cause” in courts across the country.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-immigration-judges-trump-pete-hegseth-b07950833591270b926ad86ede8b961f

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twodogsbarking

(15,741 posts)
1. How many "military lawyers" do they have?
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:22 PM
Sep 2

Why do they need so many? I'm sure there is a legitimate reason.

TomSlick

(12,714 posts)
8. Why "military lawyers?"
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 08:25 PM
Sep 2

Are you suggesting that Judge Advocates are not "real" lawyers?

Between active duty and reserve duty, I spent 28 years as an Army Judge Advocate. All judge advocates have graduated from an ABA accredited law school and passed their state bar exam. I served with brilliant lawyers and some not so brilliant - just like the civilian bar.

twodogsbarking

(15,741 posts)
9. Your words not mine, counselor.
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 08:32 PM
Sep 2

I am suggesting that they hire "attorneys" with no I D and wearing masks. Must you be so aggressive?

TomSlick

(12,714 posts)
11. The use of quotes suggests that they meant something.
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 08:56 PM
Sep 2

Military lawyer is not the same as "military lawyer."

I'm not being aggressive, simply inquisitive.

Attilatheblond

(7,256 posts)
2. So, military tribunals (under Trump authority?) for civilians?
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:23 PM
Sep 2

Is that what this boils down to? Asking in all honesty as I hope I am wrong.

Lovie777

(20,228 posts)
3. That is just wrong.....
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:25 PM
Sep 2

temporary judgeship appointments of lawyers in favor of shithole is not democracy.

ashredux

(2,765 posts)
5. This is total BS..... It'll be interesting to see if it's actually legal. Why would a military court adjudicate such?
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:40 PM
Sep 2

James48

(4,940 posts)
6. How is this not a violation of Posse Comitatus?
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 03:43 PM
Sep 2

Military tribunals?

You can’t use the military for LAW ENFORCEMENT.

That’s law enforcement.

TomSlick

(12,714 posts)
10. That's an interesting question!
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 08:51 PM
Sep 2

I'm reasonably sure that there are no court decisions on the issue.

My initial thought is that a quasi-judicial function, like an immigration judge, is not law enforcement. But anyone's guess is as good as mine.

Bayard

(26,974 posts)
7. trump is just looking for a middle man,
Tue Sep 2, 2025, 05:31 PM
Sep 2

Between him and the dictator of a crappy country he has an agreement with to take in deportees. He thinks it will give him a bit of legal patina.

Just because someone is an attorney doesn't mean they can judge. Oh, that's right--he's just looking for a rubber stamp.

SeattleVet

(5,735 posts)
14. Because JAG lawyers have so much training and experience in immigration matters?
Wed Sep 3, 2025, 12:30 AM
Sep 3

What a fucking joke.

caraher

(6,347 posts)
15. Do military lawyers work under a code of ethics?
Wed Sep 3, 2025, 12:36 AM
Sep 3

I'm wondering whether there's any individual risk for the appointees in terms of losing their right to practice law if they participate in sham proceedings or knowingly engage in practice outside their realm of expertise and competence.

Let's not forget that a dictator needs enablers, who can also be held to account.

LeftInTX

(33,891 posts)
16. This seems so wrong. There are currently only 700 immigration judges in the US.
Wed Sep 3, 2025, 12:58 AM
Sep 3

I'm sure the job is quite different than military lawyer.

Immigration judges are very subjective. (In a way, they're like juvenile, family law judges, where they try to balance things and look at the big picture. They can even take things such as supply and demand for immigrants, recommendations from friends and family into account etc) Military lawyers are probably not subjective at all.

WmChris

(398 posts)
19. As soon as possible
Wed Sep 3, 2025, 07:45 AM
Sep 3

Does that mean it will take a while to sort out the ones that will rule to deport anybody that comes before them.

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