Federal immigration bench lacks experience

WASHINGTON, May 26 (UPI) -- Many federal immigration judges appointed by the U.S. attorney general lack experience in immigration law, it was reported Saturday.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has appointed more than two dozen federal immigration judges in the last two years, the Los Angeles Times reported. They include a former treasurer of the Louisiana Republican Party, who worked for the Bush Florida recount team after the 2000 presidential election, a former Republican congressional aide and a Texan appointed by then-Gov. George Bush to the state library commission.

They are among a growing number of the nation's more than 200 immigration judges lacking experience in the law they were appointed to enforce, the Times reported.

The usually low-profile immigration bench is attracting new attention in light of last week's testimony by former Justice Department official Monica Goodling that immigration judges were screened for loyalty to the GOP.