The Trump administration has terminated eight immigration judges in New York City, with the judges serving at 26 Federal Plaza, amid legal challenges alleging discrimination, reports Baltimore Chronicle with a reference to Realnist.
This action follows a lawsuit filed by Tania Nemer, a former immigration judge from Ohio, who claims she was unlawfully dismissed due to her gender, dual citizenship with Lebanon, and prior political activity as a Democratic candidate for local office. According to the filing, Nemer was dismissed abruptly during her probationary period despite receiving evaluations described as “the highest possible performance.”
The complaint contends that the rapid timing of the dismissals indicates the decision was politically motivated rather than based on an objective review of qualifications or job performance. Nemer is among more than 100 immigration judges who have either been dismissed, resigned, or transferred through the Department of Government Efficiency’s “Fork in the Road” program.
The Department of Homeland Security is concurrently recruiting “deportation judges,” with DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin announcing last week on X that the positions may include full-time remote work with salaries ranging from $159,951 to $207,500.
Immigrant rights groups have criticized the administration for removing judges with extensive immigration law experience, highlighting a backlog of over 3.7 million pending cases. Nemer’s attorneys stated that she was escorted from the courtroom at the time of dismissal and that both her supervisor and the acting chief immigration judge were unaware of the reasons for her termination.
The lawsuit also challenges the DOJ’s rationale, arguing that no legitimate nondiscriminatory explanation has been provided. Nemer had previously filed a formal discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity office, which was dismissed. The complaint notes that the EEO concluded that Title VII of civil rights law does not apply to immigration judges, citing potential conflicts with Article II removal powers — a position her attorneys say is unconstitutional.
Additional claims in the lawsuit include a DOJ affidavit listing minor driving infractions and two local tax issues from 2010 and 2011, which Nemer asserts were already disclosed during her background check. Her legal team alleges the affidavit was used to create a misleading impression that these incidents justified her termination.
Nemer is seeking a court declaration that her rights were violated, reinstatement to her former position, and compensatory damages.
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