Former Immigration Judge Sues DOJ Alleging Political And Age Bias Firing
Former California immigration judge Kyra Lilien filed a 14-page lawsuit against the Justice Department and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, saying she was non-retained because of political and age bias. (Kyra Lilien)
The complaint says Lilien was appointed to the San Francisco Immigration Court on July 23, 2023, transferred to Concord in February 2024, and notified on July 11, 2025 that her term would not be converted. She alleges supervisors targeted her because she is a registered Democrat, a woman over 40, fluent in Spanish, and active in immigrant-rights and Hispanic community groups.
The episode traces back to a 2023 hiring surge when the Biden administration added more than 100 immigration judges, including Lilien, to reduce a massive case backlog. After Donald Trump won the 2024 election and took office in January 2025, the administration installed Sirce Owen as acting director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review. A February 28, 2025 memorandum from Owen described some immigrant-advocacy groups as "extremist leftist organizations" and criticized Biden-era hiring, according to the complaint.
Lilien's filing lists nearly 30 other immigration judges who were not converted or were dismissed and says most were women and many worked in San Francisco and Concord. The complaint frames Lilien's non-retention as part of a broader wave of dismissals that began in February 2025.
In 2025 nearly 100 immigration judges were fired, and by the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2026 the Executive Office for Immigration Review had 557 judges, down from 634 at the end of FY2025.
The mainstream summary emphasizes Kyra Lilien's individual lawsuit and her claims of political and age bias but overlooks the broader context of a significant reduction in immigration judges under the Trump administration. While the summary mentions that nearly 100 judges were fired in 2025, it does not highlight that this mass dismissal contributed to the closure of courts, including those in San Francisco, which has implications for access to justice and the handling of immigration cases. This context is crucial, as it illustrates a systemic issue rather than an isolated incident.
Additionally, the mainstream account does not address the implications of the Trump administration's policies on immigration judges, such as the 2018 quota policy that prioritized case completion rates, which may have influenced judicial decisions and contributed to the perceived politicization of the courts. This reflects a broader trend of politicization and institutional decline, as noted in studies by Erin N. Blasingame and Henry E. Brady, which argue that such actions erode public trust and exacerbate partisan divides. These factors provide a more nuanced understanding of the environment in which Lilien's lawsuit arises, suggesting that her experience may be part of a larger pattern of judicial and institutional instability.
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📊 Relevant Data
As of the end of the first quarter of FY2026, the Executive Office for Immigration Review had 557 immigration judges on staff, down nearly one-quarter from 634 at the end of FY2025.
Executive Office for Immigration Review Immigration Judge Staffing and Workforce Attrition — Congress.gov
In 2025, the Trump administration fired nearly 100 immigration judges, contributing to the closure of courts like the one in San Francisco.
The Trump administration fired nearly 100 immigration judges in 2025. What's next? — NPR
The average asylum denial rate in US immigration courts was 80% in 2025.
Asylum Denial Rate Reaches 80% in 2025 — YouTube (based on official data)
A February 28, 2025 memo from EOIR Acting Director Sirce Owen addressed perceptions that EOIR's hiring practices for Assistant Chief Immigration Judges were unfair and potentially unlawful, announcing a return to prior policies.
SIRCE OWEN - of EOIR — Department of Justice
📌 Key Facts
- Kyra Lilien filed a 14-page lawsuit against DOJ and Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche alleging discriminatory non‑retention as an immigration judge.
- Lilien was appointed July 23, 2023 to the San Francisco Immigration Court, transferred to Concord in February 2024, and notified on July 11, 2025 that her term would not be converted.
- The suit alleges she was targeted because she is a registered Democrat, a woman over 40, fluent in Spanish, and associated with immigrant-rights and Hispanic community groups.
- The complaint lists nearly 30 other immigration judges allegedly fired or not converted around the same period, asserting most were women and many were in San Francisco and Concord.
- Lilien alleges early 2025 memoranda by acting EOIR director Sirce Owen disparaged immigrant advocacy groups as “extremist leftist organizations” and criticized prior Biden-era hiring, evidencing bias.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time