Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 5, 2019
Immigration Court Improvement Act of 2019
This bill revises the definition of "immigration judge" by establishing that an immigration judge is judicial by nature, and actions taken while serving in a judicial capacity shall be reviewed under the applicable Code of Judicial Conduct, not any code of attorney behavior. It also establishes that an immigration judge may not be disciplined for good faith legal actions made while hearing and deciding cases. Completion goal systems or efficiency standards imposed on immigration judges may not be used to limit such judges' independent authority or as a reflection of individual judicial performance.
The Department of Justice shall (1) establish a transparent judicial complaint process consistent with various professional guidelines, and (2) promulgate regulations governing an immigration judge's contempt authority.
Source last updated: Aug 10, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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