Former judges concerned over Trump admin. plan to install military attorneys as immigration judges

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Former Immigration judges are deeply concerned about a Trump administration plan to install military attorneys as immigration judges around the country, including in Chicago.

They are worried about what this could mean for due process, with reports of only a few weeks of training for attorneys before becoming an immigration judge and ruling on case law so complex it's considered second only to the tax code.

The ABC7 I-Team is learning there is at least one such judge now ruling on cases in Chicago and has been for several weeks.

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Carla Espinoza and Samuel Cole were longtime immigration judges in Chicago. After President Donald Trump took office, Espinoza says she was fired without cause.

"I would say it takes about six months to a year to feel comfortable being a judge and adjudicating cases fairly and efficiently," she said.

Espinoza is now an immigration attorney. Cole is now Chief Immigration Litigation Counsel at ACLU of Illinois after choosing to retire early, fearing his ability to rule impartially was under attack.

"I saw at the beginning of this new administration that I would no longer be able to make independent decisions," Cole said.

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Now that question of impartiality and due process has resurfaced again in their replacements. The Department of Defense just issued a legal opinion allowing any military attorney to become an immigration judge.

"Before this administration, you needed seven years of experience in immigration law or administrative law. We certainly respect their service to the nation, but they're not qualified to do these jobs," said Matthew Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional & Technical Engineers, the union that represents immigration judges.

He said these temporary replacements now filling dozens of vacancies made by Trump administration firings may have no immigration law experience and only one or two weeks of training before they take the bench to rule on cases.

Espinoza is concerned immigrants before the court will be stripped of due process.

"To have one week or two weeks of training without prior knowledge in immigration law, to me, just seems absurd," she said.

Cole is echoing that fear. Both said they have seen the current administration pressure judges to rule in the government's favor.

And with temporary active military judges, Cole believes they could face retribution if they rule impartially.

"I think they would have to worry about if they make certain decisions that goes against what this administration might want them to do, they'd have to worry about their job security, not just as a temporary immigration judge, but in the military as well," he said.

The I-Team reached out to the Department of Justice about the efforts to fill immigration judge vacancies with military attorneys. We have not heard back.