The government is reportedly sending undocumented immigrants court summonses with false dates that rights defenders say are designed to skirt a recent Supreme Court ruling.
A group of immigration judges is skeptical about the attorney general's promise to add more to their ranks—part of an apparent attempt to slash a growing backlog of cases.
Essentially, normal assumptions about judicial independence and freedom from political influence do not apply in immigration proceedings.
The administration hasn't been shy about changing the law, but more hidden changes have taken place too.
As of September of 2018, over 350,000 immigration cases had been closed and never re-opened, saving some immigrants from deportation and allowing judges to move through cases more quickly.
A new "zero tolerance" border enforcement policy will launch a crackdown on people crossing the border illegally.
Analysts say the decision breaks the Trump administration's promise to cut the immigration court backlog.