About 600 military lawyers have been authorized to work for the Justice Department as temporary immigration judges, with 150 of them potentially starting as soon as this week, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The move comes after the Justice Department last week made changes to who could qualify as a temporary immigration judge – effectively lowering the requirements and removing the need to have prior immigration experience.

Immigration judges are the only ones who can revoke someone’s green card or issue a final order of removal for people who have been in the country for more than two years and are in the process of being deported.

Inside one of the most understaffed immigration courts in the country

The Chelmsford, Mass., court has hemorrhage

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