Immigration Judges Sign Collective Bargaining Agreement

After seven years of negotiations, the Justice Department and aunion representing 218 immigration judges signed their firstcollective-bargaining agreement yesterday.

Leaders of the union,the National Association of Immigration Judges, said the contract wouldimprove communication between Justice headquarters and the judges, whoserve in 53 cities and detention centers across the country, byguaranteeing quarterly meetings to discuss security, workload and otherissues.

As we have reported on numerous occasions in recent months, the immigration judges have been hit with a series ofcomplaints about their temperament and the quality of their decisions,prompting criticism by federal judges and a review by senior Justice officials. Click here.

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