Hartford immigration judge Ted Doolittle has been terminated from his position, joining a wave of federal court officials removed by the Trump administration in recent weeks.
Doolittle said he was notified Sept. 11 that his appointment would not be renewed and immediately placed on leave. His employment then ended Tuesday, the final day of his two-year probationary term as an immigration judge.
Notice came via a brief letter signed by the acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for adjudicating immigration cases.
The letter didn’t provide a reason why Doolittle was let go, stating only that “the Attorney General has decided not to extend your term or convert it to a permanent appointment.”
Doolittle joins dozens of other immigration judges who have been fired or not renewed in their positions this year, including at least 14 who received notice this month, according to NPR. They worked in courts in Florida, New York, Maryland, California and Washington state, NPR reported.
Doolittle was first appointed in 2023 by then-U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. Doolittle said he doesn’t know whether his dismissal was politically motivated, but he has no doubt the broader wave of terminations is “part of a political agenda and a political strategy.”
“They're cutting bodies from what's supposed to be an independent adjudicatory agency at a time when the caseload is crushing,” he said. “And it's getting even more urgent as they put more and more people into jail.”
The firings come as the nation’s immigration courts struggle to process an enormous and growing backlog of cases, which has been exacerbated by a lack of available judges.
At the time of his removal, Doolittle said he was one of only two full-time judges working in the Hartford immigration court, which has seen its pending caseload swell to more than 40,000. A third judge based in Connecticut also splits duties between cases in Hartford and other jurisdictions, Doolittle said.
It’s unclear how Doolittle’s position will be filled. An EOIR spokesperson said the agency declines to comment because it is a personnel matter.
The Associated Press reported previously the Trump administration plans to send up to 600 military lawyers to the Justice Department to serve as temporary immigration judges amid the shortage, a move that has alarmed some Democratic lawmakers.
Doolittle’s abrupt departure this month had puzzled some local immigration lawyers, who told Connecticut Public scheduled hearings for their clients were moved or canceled with no explanation. Doolittle said he was scheduled to hear 57 cases on the Friday after he was placed on leave alone.
“I do worry that overall, the system is being administered or managed in a way that is not pointed toward trying to do justice as quickly as possible in the largest number of cases as possible,” Doolittle said.
Doolittle’s legal career includes work in the private and public sectors, including serving most recently as the healthcare advocate for the state of Connecticut from 2017 through 2023. He is also former deputy director of the Center for Program Integrity at the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
As recently as July 24, Doolittle received a positive review of his performance as an immigration judge, which recommended he remain in the position. A supervisor wrote that Doolittle "demonstrated exceptional dedication and professionalism" in handling complex cases, while also efficiently handling the workload.
Court records show Doolittle completed more than 1,900 cases in the current federal budget year, well ahead of the goal of 700 cases he said was set for his position.
"Judge Doolittle maintains high standards of judicial conduct, and this reflects his dedication to the administration of justice in one of the nation's most overburdened immigration courts,” the evaluation reads.
Doolittle said he stands by his record on the bench, and said he granted asylum or other relief when it was indicated and denied it in many other cases.
“I did love the job, and I gave it everything I could, and I want to think that I did the best that I could for the families in front of me,” he said.
Matt Dwyer contributed to this report.
