The Justice Department has proposed giving federal immigration judges the authority to hold attorneys, migrants and witnesses in contempt for violating court orders, marking a significant expansion of the powers of courts that are part of the executive branch.
Under the proposed rule, published in the Federal Register, immigration judges would be able to impose civil fines ranging from $1,000 to $3,500 for conduct including repeatedly failing to appear on time, disobeying court orders, making false statements or engaging in disorderly behavior.
