EOIR adds 39 immigration judges, 6 temporary judges as backlog stays above 3.49 million

On June 17, the Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review said it swore in 39 immigration judges and 6 temporary immigration judges. EOIR said the new judges will join immigration courts in 15 states, part of a broader effort to reduce a backlog that is still very large.

What changed

EOIR said the new judges will be assigned to courts in California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. That matters because immigration court delays are not one national queue in practice. Hearing schedules move court by court, depending on staffing, local dockets, and how many cases are already waiting.

Why the backlog still matters

The agency said it has completed more than 1.1 million cases since January 20, 2025 and reduced its pending caseload by more than 485,000 cases. Even so, EOIR said pending immigration court cases are still under 3.49 million. That makes this announcement a staffing step, not a full fix.

For readers with pending cases, the real question is whether their local court gets enough added capacity to move hearing dates sooner. More judges can help with master calendar hearings, bond hearings, and individual hearings, but the effect will likely vary by court and by how quickly each judge is absorbed into the schedule.

What to watch next

EOIR said new immigration judges undergo training before taking cases, so the impact may not show up evenly or immediately everywhere. The release does not say which courts will see the biggest early scheduling changes, and it does not promise that every court will feel relief at the same pace.

The practical signal to watch is local: notices of hearing, rescheduled dockets, and whether immigration courts begin offering earlier dates. EOIR’s own court guidance explains that judges control the timing of key hearings once a case is underway, which is why staffing changes can matter even before a backlog falls substantially.

So the headline is real, but the conclusion is limited. The agency added judges, the backlog is still in the millions, and any relief for people waiting on immigration court dates will likely be uneven.

Sources

• EOIR press release PDF: 39 immigration judges and 6 temporary judges