Full Breakdown
Attorney General Todd Blanche Moves to Dismiss Lawsuits from Fired Immigration Judges
8/28/2026, 8:56:18 PM
Background: Trump Administration’s Reshaping of Immigration Courts
Since President Donald Trump returned to office in January 2025, the Justice Department (DOJ) has pursued a sweeping overhaul of the immigration court system. The administration has made immigration enforcement and mass deportations a priority, and it has repeatedly removed immigration judges—who sit in a separate branch of the DOJ—from their positions. Federal judges enjoy lifetime tenure, but immigration judges are classified as “inferior officers” and can be dismissed by the attorney general without the same constitutional protections.
Data: Judge Removals Since 2025
More than 100 immigration judges have been removed from their jobs since the start of Trump’s second term. The removals have been justified by DOJ officials as necessary to address backlogs, slow case handling, and perceived “sympathy” for respondents that they say undermines the law.
Official Statements & Responses
Attorney General Todd Blanche has defended the dismissals as part of a broader effort to make the courts more efficient. He added that the department has a “very rigorous process” for interviewing, approving, and training new judges.
DOJ attorneys filing the motions argue that the plaintiffs’ complaints “do not plausibly allege” violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act or the First Amendment. The motion to dismiss was filed on August 25.
Criticism & Opposition
Three former immigration judges—Carla Espinoza, Kyra Lilien, and George Pappas—have sued, alleging that their terminations were discriminatory. Espinoza, a Chicago judge appointed in July 2023, claims the DOJ denied her a permanent appointment because of her Hispanic surname and prior work representing immigrants. Lilien, a former California judge, alleges discrimination based on age, sex, political affiliation, and past association with a Hispanic community and an immigrant-rights nonprofit. Pappas, who served in Boston, asserts that his Greek national origin and advocacy for immigrants were factors in denying him a permanent position. All three lawsuits seek jury trials.
Verbatim Quotes
- “If you are attacking the very judges that adjudicate cases, there is not going to be a rule of law,” — George Pappas, former immigration judge
- “My integrity, my commitment to the rule of law is the same today that it was the day I graduated,” — Todd Blanche, Attorney General (Los Angeles Times)
- “I think attorneys general and others have said, ‘Oh, we’re independent.’ I don’t think that’s actually true,” — Todd Blanche, Attorney General (Los Angeles Times)
- “The isolated incidents that make the news are not reflective of the way the bench feels in my view, or the way prosecutors are doing their job around the country,” — Todd Blanche, Attorney General (Los Angeles Times)
What’s Next
The DOJ has not yet responded to the third lawsuit filed by George Pappas. The pending motions to dismiss will be considered by the federal courts, and the outcomes will determine whether the judges’ claims of discriminatory termination proceed to trial.
