Overview

• Judge Shira M. Levine was dismissed on Wednesday, becoming the sixth San Francisco immigration judge removed since January, according to multiple reports.
• TRAC data show Levine granted asylum in roughly 98% of her cases, well above national averages, which experts note can vary based on case mix and legal representation.
• A recent Justice Department memo warned it could scrutinize adjudicators with “statistically improbable” outcome metrics, intensifying worries about outcome-based oversight.
• San Francisco’s immigration bench is down to about 14 judges as DOJ lowers prerequisites for temporary judges and the government authorizes 600 military lawyers to serve on a temporary basis.
• EOIR has declined to explain the firings as national case backlogs reach record levels, and legal groups warn of mounting delays and threats to due process.