An immigration judge in California sued the Trump Department of Justice on Wednesday, alleging she was fired because of her political beliefs and affiliations with an immigrant-rights group, Fox News reported.
The judge, Kyra Lilien, alleged that the Trump DOJ declined to continue employing her past her probationary period for myriad reasons, including her age, her Hispanic heritage, and because she is fluent in Spanish. She named Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche as a defendant in the lawsuit and accused him of violating her First Amendment and civil rights, according to the report.
"Lilien was initially appointed to serve at the San Francisco Immigration Court on July 23, 2023, before being transferred to the Concord Immigration Court in February 2024," the report states. "In total, she served nearly two years, which is the standard probationary period immigration judges serve under Justice Department policy before their appointments are typically converted to permanent roles."
Lilien noted in the lawsuit that she met or exceeded all performance review criteria. She also achieved one of the highest possible ratings for an immigration judge between 2024 and 2025, according to the report.
The judge added that she had received a memo from the Trump DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review that "demonstrated hostility toward immigrant advocacy groups and certain hiring practices" shortly before receiving her termination notice from Blanche's office, according to the report.
