On Tuesday, the White House released an image of President Donald Trump standing on the roof of the West Wing, highlighting a report by Notus that cited an increase in deportations in the United States—even as his administration faces scrutiny over pressure exerted on immigration judges to accelerate expulsions.
The image was released amidst a report by the news outlet Notus indicating that the dismissal of immigration judges and changes driven by the Department of Justice had altered court operations and led to a rise in deportation orders. According to sitting and former judges cited by the outlet, the administration created an atmosphere of fear among members of the immigration courts.
The photograph, presented by the White House as an image of the president, actually dates back to August 2025, when Trump stepped onto the West Wing roof to inspect renovation work at the presidential residence. At that time, the president toured the area accompanied by architect James McCrery and reviewed work related to the construction of a new ballroom.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, approximately 125 immigration judges have been dismissed, and around a hundred more have left their posts through retirement or separation incentives. Former judges noted that the dismissals and new directives curtailed their discretion in ruling on asylum claims, bond hearings, and other measures benefiting migrants.
Deportation orders, which had remained relatively stable for much of Trump’s second term, rose during the spring and surged by 30 percent in June, according to data from the Transaction Records Access Clearinghouse.
The administration maintained that the changes helped reduce the immigration court backlog, bringing it down from a peak of about 4 million cases to approximately 3.2 million. The Department of Justice denied seeking to influence judges’ decisions, stating instead that it aimed to restore the integrity of the immigration system. The White House is also maintaining an intensive campaign to publicize images of Trump amidst the renovation of the presidential complex. The administration is currently facing legal challenges regarding the construction of a new ballroom—a project valued at approximately $400 million that includes security installations and has been criticized by historic preservation organizations.
