Trump administration dismisses 8 immigration judges in New York City

The Trump administration terminated eight immigration judges on Monday, according to a representative from the National Association of Immigration Judges. The dismissed judges were stationed at 26 Federal Plaza. This action follows a lawsuit filed by a former immigration judge, claiming she faced unlawful discrimination by the Department of Justice.

Tania Nemer, previously serving as an immigration judge in Ohio, filed the lawsuit on Monday, alleging that her dismissal was motivated by her gender, dual citizenship with Lebanon, and her past candidacy as a Democrat, in violation of civil rights protections. According to the complaint, Nemer was "suddenly terminated" during her probationary period despite earning "the highest possible performance evaluations."

The lawsuit argues that the rapid timing of the dismissal suggests the decision was politically motivated rather than based on her qualifications or job performance. Nemer is one of over 100 immigration judges who have either been dismissed, resigned, or transferred under the Department of Government Efficiency's "Fork in the Road" initiative.

These latest dismissals occur as the Department of Homeland Security recruits new "deportation judges." DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin announced on social media last week that these roles offer the potential for full-time remote work, with salaries ranging from $159,951 to $207,500. Immigration advocates have criticized the administration for removing judges with extensive immigration law experience, especially amid a backlog of more than 3.7 million pending cases.

Nemer's attorneys stated that she was escorted out of the courtroom at the time of her firing, and that both her supervisor and the acting chief immigration judge were unaware of the reason for her termination. "To this day, the government has not provided any legitimate, nondiscriminatory justification for her dismissal," they wrote.

Following her firing, Nemer submitted a formal discrimination complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity office, which was dismissed. The agency claimed Title VII does not protect immigration judges from discriminatory dismissal, citing a supposed conflict with the President's removal powers. Nemers lawyers countered that "nothing in the Constitution permits the executive branch to engage in discrimination."

The attorneys described the DOJ's stancethat federal employees can be dismissed without explanation despite civil rights lawsas "a breathtaking assault on a landmark federal statute." The complaint also notes that a DOJ affidavit highlighted minor driving and tax infractions from 2010 and 2011, which Nemer had previously disclosed, yet these were misleadingly suggested to be related to her termination.

Nemer is requesting a court in Washington, D.C. to declare that her rights were violated, seek reinstatement, and award compensatory damages.

Author: Sophia Brooks