The federal courts are swamped with immigration hearings, not just Massachusetts but all over the country. Even in terms of the judges who hear these immigration cases, it’s all been a political exercise, according to Mr O’Neill. “We had 30 immigration judges [in Massachusetts] on 21 January 2025, the day Trump steps into office,” he said. However, he added federal judges have been standing up to these efforts in numerous instances in an attempt to hold authorities accountable for abuses of due process and other laws. The most tangible example of the immigration crackdown that international audiences have seen was the recent events in Minneapolis.

Source: Irish Examiner March 21, 2026 13:03 UTC