Dana Leigh Marks, a former U.S. immigration judge, has strongly criticized President Donald Trump's handling of immigration courts, warning that the administration's tactics have turned U.S. immigration courts into dangerous zones.

In an interview with The Guardian published Sunday, Marks, 71, said of the current climate: “I have seen my entire career destroyed by Trump in six months. I’m flat out terrified on all fronts.”
Marks retired from San Francisco’s Immigration Court in December 2021, leaving behind a widely respected legacy as a leader, mentor, and advocate.

She described ICE agents arresting immigrants outside their court hearings as “acting like the Gestapo.”

She urged immigration lawyers to warn clients. “If I were an immigration practitioner now, I’d tell my clients that they have to act like they’re in a war zone … Be prepared for any eventuality, because it is so random and so chaotic.”

Marks accused the Trump administration of intentionally undermining immigration courts. She said the government is “attacking” immigration courts “on all fronts” in order to prove they’re “dysfunctional” and thus justify eliminating them entirely.