Trump's Military Moves: Immigration Justice by Military Lawyers

The Trump administration is enlisting military and civilian lawyers from the Defense Department to temporarily serve as immigration judges, marking a bold strategy to turn towards military resources in addressing domestic agendas. This initiative, confirmed by officials on Tuesday, is part of President Donald Trump's broader immigration crackdown that began with his tenure in 2017.

This decision emerges amid Trump's 2024 re-election campaign, which places immigration at its core. Active-duty troops' deployment has reportedly contributed to a decline in undocumented migrant crossings. Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell noted that the inclusion of DOD attorneys is aimed at alleviating the backlog of immigration cases.

However, the lack of specialized training among military lawyers in immigration law raises questions. An anonymous U.S. official highlighted difficulties these lawyers might face adapting from military justice procedures. Previously, the administration has utilized such legal resources to bolster its domestic policy, including assignments within the U.S. Attorney's Office to handle misdemeanors.

(With inputs from agencies.)