S. 3326 — Temporary Immigration Judge Integrity Act

This section states the sense of Congress that (1) temporary immigration judges are not intended to replace permanent immigration judges or serve in lieu of appointing permanent immigration judges; and (2) immigration judges must possess extensive knowledge and application of U.S. immigration laws due to the complex nature and high-stakes consequences of immigration case adjudications.

This section authorizes the Attorney General to appoint temporary immigration judges for renewable terms not to exceed 6 months—up to 4 consecutive terms (i.e., 2 years total)—from specified categories including (1) former Board of Immigration Appeals members or appellate immigration judges, (2) former immigration judges, (3) active or retired administrative law judges from the Executive Office for Immigration Review, (4) administrative law judges from other federal agencies with at least 10 years of post-bar-admission experience in immigration law (with agency head consent), and (5) Department of Justice attorneys with at least 10 years of post-bar-admission experience in immigration law. Temporary immigration judges exercise the same authority as regular immigration judges to adjudicate assigned removal proceedings (i.e., to determine an alien's inadmissibility or deportability) and manage immigration court matters. The Attorney General, in collaboration with the Chief Immigration Judge and Regional Chief Judges, must establish procedures to assign caseloads, oversee performance, evaluate work product, and provide training consisting of at least 8 weeks initially and 1 day every 2 weeks ongoing (exempting recent former immigration judges, appellate judges, or Board members whose temporary service begins within 2 years of prior service); temporary judges reaching the 2-year limit may not be reappointed until 3 years after their service ends.