Overview

• Defense officials authorized lending as many as 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department, with roughly 150 expected to be assigned as soon as next week, according to press reports cited by The Bulwark and Reason.
• The shift follows a Justice Department rule finalized on August 28 that broadened eligibility for temporary immigration judges by removing prior immigration‑law experience requirements, as reported by NPR and referenced in the coverage.
• Legal scholars and former JAG officers argue the plan may be unlawful under the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in civilian law enforcement.
• Advocacy groups warn that JAGs generally lack immigration‑law expertise and say installing temporary, executive‑branch–controlled adjudicators threatens impartiality and due process.
• Operational concerns include a potential hit to military readiness from pulling up to 600 of roughly 7,300 JAGs and a likely shortage of experienced court staff that could hamper productivity in immigration courts.