Eight immigration judges working in New York City were dismissed by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) in a move confirmed by the National Association of Immigration Judges. Among those let go is Amiena A. Khan, the Assistant Chief Immigration Judge at 26 Federal Plaza in New York. The dismissals, reported on December 2, 2025, mark a rare and broad shakeup in the nation’s immigration court system as the EOIR undertakes reforms described by officials and unions as part of a wider overhaul of the courts.
Public reporting at the time did not specify individual reasons for the dismissals. Coverage described the action as part of a broader overhaul or shakeup of immigration courts, with official statements not publicly detailing the motives behind the move. The eight judges were reported to have been dismissed in New York City, with the offices located at 26 Federal Plaza cited as the relevant site.
What happens to the cases previously handled by these judges remains unclear in the reports. Typically, EOIR would reassign pending matters to the remaining judges, but specifics were not disclosed publicly.
Reaction to the layoffs has centered on the National Association of Immigration Judges, which confirmed the event and framed it as a notable development in a period of significant changes to immigration adjudication. Coverage from outlets including The New York Times, ABC7 New York, Le Monde, and Barron’s described the dismissals as part of a broader shakeup in immigration courts overseen by the EOIR, with repercussions for dozens of pending cases and ongoing reforms. As reports circulated on December 2, 2025, eight judges were affected, illustrating a moment of transition within the judiciary.
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