Military Judge Fired After Five Weeks on Bench

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A U.S. Army Reserve JAG officer was swiftly fired from his temporary immigration judge role after just five weeks.

Story Highlights

Lt. Col. Christopher Day removed from immigration bench after granting asylum in 6 of 11 cases
Military judges ordering deportation at 78% rate compared to 63% for civilian judges
Trump administration deployed 600 military lawyers as “deportation judges” to clear asylum backlog
Nearly 100 immigration judges fired for being perceived as “too liberal” on asylum cases

Military Officer Punished for Following the Law

Lt. Col. Christopher Day, an Army Reserve JAG officer, was abruptly terminated from his temporary immigration judge assignment at the Annandale, Virginia court in early December after approximately five weeks on the bench. Federal data analyzed by nonprofit Mobile Pathways revealed Day granted asylum or relief in six of eleven cases during November, a decision rate that conflicted sharply with the administration’s enforcement priorities and the performance patterns of other military-detailed judges.

Day’s removal represents a troubling example of political retaliation against judicial independence. The National Association of Immigration Judges confirmed his firing, with former president Dana Leigh Marks stating it was “hard to imagine someone being fired so quickly, after five weeks on the bench, unless it was for ideological reasons.” The Justice Department declined to provide any explanation for the personnel action, and Day has not commented publicly on his dismissal.

“It is hard to imagine someone being fired so quickly, after five weeks on the bench, unless it was for ideological reasons” US army lawyer fired as immigration judge after defying Trump deportation agenda | Trump administration | The Guardian https://t.co/aogvFdX2r3

— Amy Cook (@AmyCookOC) December 20, 2025

Weaponizing Military Lawyers Against Due Process

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved deploying up to 600 military lawyers to serve as immigration judges in September, part of the administration’s strategy to process a backlog of 3.8 million asylum cases more aggressively. These military officers underwent only a two-week training course where they were explicitly reminded that immigration judges serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General and can be removed without traditional civil service protections.

Federal data reveals the systematic nature of this deportation machine. Military-detailed judges ordered removal in 78% of cases compared to 63% for regular immigration judges, with approximately 90% of migrants appearing before military judges either ordered removed or agreeing to self-deportation. Day’s more balanced approach to asylum adjudication made him an obvious target for elimination from this enforcement-focused system.

Broader Attack on Constitutional Due Process

Day’s firing occurs within a larger campaign to transform immigration courts into deportation mills. The administration has removed nearly 100 immigration judges perceived as insufficiently aligned with restrictive enforcement goals, relaxed hiring standards to allow any licensed attorney to serve regardless of immigration expertise, and explicitly marketed positions as “Deportation Judge” roles. This systematic purge undermines the fundamental principle that judges should apply law impartially rather than serve predetermined political outcomes.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association criticized the influx of inexperienced military officers, comparing the practice to “cardiologists attempting to do a hip replacement.” More concerning is the structural vulnerability of these temporary military detailees who lack both Article III judicial protections and civil service safeguards, making them particularly susceptible to political pressure and retaliation for exercising independent judgment in asylum cases.