In a dramatic move, the Trump administration fired four top officials from the U.S. immigration court system on Monday, just hours after President Trump began his second term. The shake-up signals a sweeping effort to reshape the nation’s immigration courts, which play a critical role in deciding asylum claims and deportation orders. The officials removed include Mary Cheng, the acting director of the Executive Office of Immigration Review, along with Sheila McNulty, the chief immigration judge; Lauren Alder Reid, the agency’s policy head; and Jill Anderson, its general counsel. As of Monday evening, no replacement had been named, leaving the leadership of the court system in limbo. This isn’t the first time the Trump administration has targeted the immigration courts. During his first term, the administration imposed strict quotas on judges and limited their ability to pause low-priority cases. Critics argue these changes have already strained the system, which is grappling with a backlog of over three million cases. Experts warn that replacing experienced officials with political appointees could further disrupt the courts. “This kind of purge suggests they’re doubling down on the same approach,” said a former senior Homeland Security official. “It’s a recipe for chaos in an already overwhelmed system.” The firings come as part of a broader push to tighten immigration policies. Within minutes of taking office, President Trump signed executive orders aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration and asylum claims. The immigration courts, housed under the Justice Department, are a key battleground in this effort. For now, the future of the immigration court system remains uncertain. With no clear leadership and millions of cases pending, the shake-up could have far-reaching consequences for migrants, judges, and the legal process itself. One thing is clear: the Trump administration is wasting no time in making its mark on immigration policy—again. ---