Ximena Bustillo
Stories
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The DOJ has been firing judges with immigrant defense backgrounds
NPR's data analysis shows that the DOJ has tended to fire judges with immigrant defense backgrounds in its recent rounds of dismissals.
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A deep dive into the Trump administration's firing of immigration judges
The Trump administration is firing scores of immigration judges, and bringing on dozens of others, as it seeks to boost mass deportations. NPR analyzed patterns in hiring and firing.
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Trump administration sets lowest-ever cap on refugee admissions to U.S.
The lowest cap on refugees since the program was established in 1980 comes as the U.S. prioritizes resettling Afrikaners from South Africa.
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Camouflaging cars and swapping license plates: How agents make immigration arrests
Immigration enforcement officers are sometimes forgoing license plates or otherwise masking their cars while apprehending migrants across the U.S.
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Are ICE agents covering their license plates as well as their faces?
The Trump administration appears to be relying on unmarked vehicles in immigration enforcement, NPR has learned.
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DOJ hires immigration judges after months of layoffs
Judges will soon take the bench across 16 states, the Justice Department said. These include courts that saw the biggest losses of judges this year.
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It's the deadliest year for ICE in decades. As detentions rise, the trend may continue
There have been at least 20 deaths in ICE custody in 2025, the deadliest year since 2004. As the agency is ramping up hiring and increasing detentions, concerns remain about how to stop the trend.
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ICE tried to send one immigrant to a country he never lived in. Then he lawyered up.
Roman Surovtsev is like many others who were detained at their regularly scheduled ICE check-ins. What makes his case different is that his wife has marshalled a team of lawyers on his behalf.
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He was detained by ICE. Here's what happened when he lawyered up
ICE tried to send one immigrant to a country he never lived; then he lawyered up. Detainees like him who can afford to pay for more due process show the pitfalls of a mass deportation approach.
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Civil rights jobs have been cut. Those ex-workers warn of ICE detention violations
After layoffs, it's unclear how many people are policing civil rights violations inside the Department of Homeland Security, even as the Trump administration ramps up ICE detention.
