IFPTE President Matt Biggs Statement on Today’s Settlement Announcement with NAIJ and DOJ

Today’s announcement of a settlement between the Department of Justice and IFPTE’s affiliate, the National Association of Immigration Judges (NAIJ/IFPTE Judicial Council 2), restores basic rights to the nation’s immigration judges and helps to protect judicial independence. The Trump administration had cynically tried to deny justice to the nation’s 500 immigration judges, decertify their union that had existed for nearly half a century, and strip away union rights of individual members to silence them. As a result of this settlement, once again immigration judges will have full due process rights and a voice through their union and will continue to render decisions based on the law, rather than political pressure tied to an anti-immigrant ideology espoused by the previous administration.

IFPTE applauds the Biden administration and Congressional leaders including Sen. Durbin and Reps. Lofgren and Sanchez, along with the House Labor Caucus for using their influence to bring about this decision.

Download a PDF of this press release here.