Immigration Judges received a major addition to their ranks on September 24, 2026, when the Executive Office for Immigration Review swore in 47 permanent immigration judges and six temporary immigration judges.
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Immigration Judges Update
The investiture took place at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
EOIR Acting Director Sirce E.
Owen and Bryan P.
Stirling, the U.S. attorney for the District of South Carolina, delivered remarks during the ceremony.
Chief Immigration Judge Teresa L.
Riley administered the oath of office.
The appointments were made by Attorney General Todd Blanche after what EOIR described as a thorough application process.
Why the new appointments matter
The new class expands the federal immigration court system at a time when EOIR continues to focus on processing a large pending caseload.
EOIR said the addition of Immigration Judges supports the administration’s goal of reducing the immigration court backlog and restoring integrity to the immigration system.
The agency has previously identified staffing and adjudicatory capacity as important parts of its effort to complete cases more quickly.
In a September 4, 2025, announcement, EOIR reported completing more than 722,000 cases during the first 11 months of fiscal year 2025 and said its pending immigration court caseload had fallen by more than 447,000 cases since January 20, 2025.
Those figures were reported for that earlier period and should not be treated as a current caseload total for September 2026.
EOIR’s current workload and adjudication statistics page provides updated agency data and notes that case information can change as staff update the system.
Who was appointed
The 47 newly appointed permanent immigration judges are John C.
Allison, Dana D.
Babbin, Jackson Beach, Jeannette M.
Bernstein, Brian J.
Boyd, James J.
Cavagnaro, Loren Craft, Jordan D’Angelo, Ernie Dukes, Samantha Diane Ellis, Daniel Fellhauer, Zachary N.
Godsey, Andrea Goode, Robert L.
Gray Jr., Luis R.,
Guzman, M.
Keiling “Keil” Hackley, Shawn P.
Hammond, Melissa Handke, Hector Hernandez Jr., Felicia Holloman, Natasha Howard, David W.
Illingworth II, Adam J.
Jaffe, Fahimeh Kennedy, Shelly M.
Kennedy, Christy J.
Kisner, Dennis B.
Kohlhoff Jr., William R.
LaFleur II, David S.
Lo, Debbie López-Carr, Jared L.
Matte, Rory McGarry, Reynaldo Padilla Morin, James C.
Plott, Latosha M.
Powell, Yeshaya Poyurs, Veronika N.
Rabon, Laura Allison Ramos, Kristina Reeves, Michele M.
Renteria, Jose G.
Rodriguez-Rosado, Thomas G.
Shaia, Kerry Anne Vales, Anthony C.
Williams, Traci Lee Cox Winder, Chak L.
Wong and Margaret L.
Wright.
The six temporary immigration judges are Mark D.
Baker, Thomas P.
Belsky, Jeremy R.
Brooks, Brian T.
Frees, Kevin L.
Hoffman and Jesse Schaefer.
EOIR’s announcement did not identify the immigration court assignment, start date or expected caseload for each new judge.
What permanent and temporary appointments mean for cases
Both groups are joining the adjudicator corps responsible for hearing and deciding cases within the immigration court system.
Permanent immigration judges generally hold continuing appointments, while temporary immigration judges serve under appointments that are limited by the applicable federal personnel and agency rules.
The announcement did not provide the length of the temporary appointments or explain how individual assignments will be distributed among courts.
The addition of judges does not automatically decide, accelerate or change the outcome of any individual immigration case.
Case timing can depend on the court’s docket, hearing type, available evidence, attorney availability, government filings, interpreter needs and other procedural issues.
Respondents should continue to follow the hearing notices and filing deadlines issued in their own cases.
Training will precede or accompany courtroom work
EOIR said the new adjudicators undergo a robust training program.
The training requirement is intended to prepare new judges for the legal, procedural and administrative responsibilities associated with immigration court proceedings.
EOIR also referred readers to biographical summaries for the new judges, but the September 24 announcement did not include those biographies in the one-page release itself.
Until assignments are reflected in official court records, parties should not assume that a particular new judge will handle a pending case.
What people with immigration court cases should do
People with pending cases should continue checking their official hearing notices and should not skip a hearing because new judges have been appointed.
EOIR maintains an Automated Case Information System that can provide basic information for certain immigration court and Board of Immigration Appeals cases.
People can also check case information through EOIR’s automated telephone system at 800-898-7180 or 304-625-2050, with TDD access at 800-828-1120.
EOIR cautions that the online system does not display every case or every detail, and court documents remain the official source for hearing information.
If a hearing date, courtroom or judge changes, the affected party should rely on the updated notice or contact the immigration court handling the case.
Respondents without legal representation may also wish to consult a qualified immigration attorney or an accredited representative before making decisions about filings, continuances, appeals or other case strategy.
Broader implications for immigration court operations
The 53 appointments represent another significant hiring class for EOIR during 2026.
EOIR previously announced multiple groups of new permanent and temporary judges during the year, including a May class that the Department of Justice described as the largest class of new adjudicators in the agency’s history.
Additional judges can give courts more capacity to schedule hearings and issue decisions, but staffing alone does not resolve every source of delay in the immigration court system.
The effect of the new appointments will depend on where the judges are assigned, when they begin hearing cases, how many matters are transferred to their dockets and whether other operational constraints remain.
For now, EOIR has formally completed the swearing-in of the newest class and said the appointments are part of its continuing effort to strengthen the immigration judge corps and reduce the backlog.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many new immigration judges did EOIR swear in on September 24, 2026?
EOIR swore in 47 permanent immigration judges and six temporary immigration judges, for a total of 53 new adjudicators.
Where did the investiture take place?
The investiture was held at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center in Columbia, South Carolina.
Who appointed the new immigration judges?
Attorney General Todd Blanche appointed the 47 permanent and six temporary immigration judges after the application process described by EOIR.
Will the appointments automatically speed up every immigration court case?
No. The appointments may add adjudicatory capacity, but the timing of an individual case depends on the court’s docket, hearing schedule, filings and other procedural factors.
How can someone check an immigration court case?
EOIR provides an Automated Case Information System and an automated telephone system. Parties should also rely on official hearing notices because online case information may not show every detail.
Fact-Checked: The appointment totals, ceremony details and names were checked against the September 24, 2026 EOIR press release and related current EOIR information pages.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Case-specific questions should be directed to a qualified immigration attorney or accredited representative.
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