Trump DOJ accused of pressuring immigration judge

A veteran immigration judge, Karen Donoso Stevens, has accused the Trump administration's Justice Department of pressuring her to reverse rulings in deportation cases before she was ultimately fired. According to an investigation by The Washington Post, Stevens reported that a supervisor ordered her in September 2025 to vacate four decisions that had granted bond to immigrants, claiming unidentified “higher-ups” demanded the change.

Stevens, who had served as a judge since 2016, stated that the pressure escalated through November and January, involving demands for explanations regarding bond decisions. She maintained that she would only grant bond if the individuals proved they were not a danger or a flight risk. Shortly after, she was reassigned and subsequently fired in May, nine months before becoming eligible for her pension. Her termination letter cited “Article II of the Constitution” but provided no further specific reasoning.

The Justice Department has denied seeking specific outcomes in immigration cases, stating its approach is to “impartially adjudicate cases as efficiently as possible in accordance with the law and evidence.”

Reports indicate that during the first year of the second Trump administration, the Justice Department fired approximately 100 of the country’s roughly 700 immigration judges, replacing them with what the administration termed “deportation judges.”