Trump DOJ decertifies NAIJ, stripping immigration judges of union rights

The Federal Labor Relations Authority ruled on August 31, 2020 that immigration judges are management officials ineligible for collective bargaining, effectively decertifying NAIJ at the Trump administration's request. DOJ had argued immigration judges exercise management authority over courtroom operations, making them supervisors under the Federal Service Labor-Management Relations Statute. The ruling eliminated NAIJ as a recognized bargaining unit and removed grievance procedures that had partially insulated judges from political pressure on individual cases.