Hey there, it's Elsa Chang. The emails have probably already hit your inbox, but real quick, before we start the show, today is giving Tuesday. Thank you if you have already stepped up to support NPR during a pretty difficult year for us when we saw the loss of federal funding for public media. There are so many of you, like Shane in Arizona, who says, quote, most days I listen to up first and or consider this first thing in the morning.

I have enjoyed this content for years now without donating, but as my tax dollars no longer support it, I must do my part to support independent journalism.

Thank you so much, Shane,

for coming to that realization. And thank you, listener, if you've already made your gift, or if you are an NPR Plus supporter. If not, make your Giving Tuesday gift right now and sign up.

NPR Plus is a simple recurring donation that gets you perks to NPR's podcasts.

And you'll be supporting public media while you listen.

Join us at plus.mpr.org.

And now to today's episode.

For several immigration judges these days, their last day on the job sounds pretty similar.

I received the email.

You know, I kind of froze for a moment, read it multiple times, took it in.

My voice was shaking.

My hands were shaking.

My mind was racing.

And I gave the decision decision and I dismissed everyone without mentioning anything.

I had about 30 or 40 immigrants in my courtroom. I had DHS. I had court staff. I was on on the bench on the record. I had just finished explaining

all to the group, like their rights and responsibilities. The interpreter who was in the

courtroom with me, he had been in many hearings with me, and he just started crying and he said,

I can't believe this is happening.

Those were former immigration judges Anom Petit in Virginia, Tanya Niemer in Ohio, and

Kira Lillian from California. They are among a growing number of immigration judges that have

been fired by the Trump administration this year. Those judges are being replaced by,

...