H.R. 6497

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6497 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6497

To codify in statute the authorization of the Attorney General to 
appoint experienced immigration law experts as temporary immigration 
judges to reduce the number of pending cases in immigration courts.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 5, 2025

Mr. Vargas (for himself, Ms. Velazquez, Ms. Norton, Mr. Soto, Ms. 
Clarke of New York, Ms. Meng, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Peters, Ms. Chu, 
Mr. Lieu, Mr. Goldman of New York, Ms. Garcia of Texas, Mr. Carson, and 
Ms. Barragan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To codify in statute the authorization of the Attorney General to 
appoint experienced immigration law experts as temporary immigration 
judges to reduce the number of pending cases in immigration courts.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Temporary Immigration Judge 
Integrity Act''.

SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

It is the sense of Congress that--
(1) the purpose of temporary immigration judges is not to 
replace permanent immigration judges or to serve in lieu of 
appointing permanent immigration judges; and
(2) due to the complex nature and high-stakes consequences 
of the adjudication of immigration cases, immigration judges 
must have extensive knowledge and application of United States 
immigration laws.

SEC. 3. TEMPORARY IMMIGRATION JUDGES.

Section 240(b)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1229a(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The immigration judge shall administer'' 
and inserting the following:
``(A) In general.--The immigration judge shall 
administer''; and
(2) by inserting after subparagraph (A), as redesignated, 
the following:
``(B) Temporary immigration judges.--
``(i) Appointment.--The Attorney General is 
authorized to appoint, as temporary immigration 
judges for a renewable term not to exceed 6 
months--
``(I) former members of the Board 
of Immigration Appeals or appellate 
immigration judges;
``(II) former immigration judges;
``(III) administrative law judges 
who are employed within, or have 
retired from, the Executive Office for 
Immigration Review;
``(IV) administrative law judges at 
another Federal agency who have at 
least ten years of experience, after 
being admitted to a State bar, in the 
field of immigration law, subject to 
the written consent of the head of such 
agency; and
``(V) attorneys at the Department 
of Justice who have at least 10 years 
of legal experience, after being 
admitted to a State bar, in the field 
of immigration law.
``(ii) Scope of authority.--Subject to 
clause (iii), each temporary immigration judge 
appointed pursuant to clause (i) shall have the 
same authority as an immigration judge to 
adjudicate assigned cases and administer 
immigration court matters, in accordance with 
the immigration laws.
``(iii) Oversight; training.--
``(I) In general.--The Attorney 
General, in collaboration with the 
Chief Immigration Judge and Regional 
Chief Immigration Judges, shall 
establish management and training 
procedures that--
``(aa) assign caseloads to, 
and oversee the performance of, 
temporary immigration judges;
``(bb) evaluate the work 
product produced by such 
judges; and
``(cc) except as provided 
in subclause (II), ensure that 
temporary immigration judges 
receive--

``(AA) a minimum of 
8 weeks of initial 
training; and

``(BB) ongoing 
training for at least 1 
day during every 2 
weeks of their 
temporary service.

``(II) Exemption.--Individuals 
described in subclause (I) or (II) of 
clause (i) shall be exempted from the 
training described in subclause (I)(cc) 
if their service as a temporary 
immigration judge begins not later than 
2 years after the last day of their 
service as an immigration judge, an 
immigration appellate judge, or a 
member of the Board of Immigration 
Appeals.
``(iv) Length of service.--
``(I) In general.--Temporary 
immigration judges may serve for up to 
4 consecutive 6-month terms.
``(II) Additional service.--
Temporary immigration judges who have 
reached the 2-year service limit 
described in subclause (I) shall not be 
reappointed to this temporary position 
until at least 3 years after the 
conclusion of their temporary 
service.''.
<all>