Hysteria Introducing: Runaway Country with Alex Wagner
Oct 24, 2025
Anam Raman Petit, a former immigration court judge, sheds light on her shocking firing and the intense courtroom conditions under the Trump administration. She discusses the chilling impact of ICE detentions on legal proceedings and the erosion of due process. Andrew Weissmann, a former federal prosecutor, dives into concerns about the politicization of the DOJ, including Trump’s controversial demand for compensation. Together, they explore the intersection of law, politics, and the personal experiences of those caught in the crossfire.
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DOJ Independence Under Attack
- The podcast frames Trump's actions as an assault on DOJ independence, turning government tools into political instruments and threatening institutional trust.
- Wagner outlines a pattern: replacing DOJ officials, politicized lawsuits, and public threats to critics like Andrew Weissmann.
Backlog Makes The System Unworkable
- The immigration court system cannot handle surging caseloads: about 600 judges face roughly 3.8 million cases, producing impossible per-judge math in some districts.
- Anam Petit warned that the system as structured 'cannot hold' under current staffing and policy pressures.
Judges Left Physically Vulnerable
- Petit described judges feeling exposed because many courtrooms lack bailiffs, leaving judges alone with respondents while commotion occurs in hallways.
- She mentioned sometimes not having a law clerk or assistant, intensifying fear when masked individuals in court raised security concerns.