What do the immigration judges do?
The EOIR’s immigration judges nationwide are responsible for determining whether illegal aliens and criminal alien residents are removable from the United States. The country’s over 200 EOIR immigration judges earn from $103,840 to $136,476 per year. They preside over EOIR Immigration Court hearings called “removal proceedings” under Section 240 of the Immigration and Nationality Act. But with so many ways available for aliens to avoid actually being removed, these “removal” proceedings really should be called “get to stay” proceedings. Getting aliens to stay in the United States winds up being the primary focus of this bureaucratic exercise. After the INS apprehends the aliens, reviews their immigration status, and serves the alien with a “Notice to Appear” in removal proceedings, the immigration judge reviews the charges again to see if the alien is deportable. The charges are based on the alien committing criminal activity or violating the terms of legal immigration status. If the i
