The Bush administration’s use of patronage when appointing immigration judges has adversely affected the success of asylum seekers in the United States. This according to an analysis published by the New York Times. The policy of using a conservative litmus test when appointing judges was revealed in an internal Justice Department report last week. An analysis of sixteen judges appointed by this litmus test showed that they disproportionately rejected the asylum applications of immigrants when compared with other judges ruling in their vicinity.