Attorney General Pam Bondi responded on Tuesday to a lawsuit filed by a former immigration judge who alleges wrongful termination. This is the first legal action challenging the Trump administration’s recent firing of over 100 immigration judges this year.
The lawsuit was submitted on Monday by former Ohio immigration judge Tanya Nemmer. It claims that the Justice Department has engaged in discrimination based on gender, national origin, and political affiliation. This filing comes as the administration is intensifying efforts to reorganize immigration courts amid ongoing legal battles over border enforcement.
During a Cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Bondi dismissed the discrimination claims, emphasizing the department’s ongoing initiatives to combat violent crime and drug trafficking, despite facing multiple lawsuits. “Just yesterday, I was sued by the immigration judge I terminated,” she stated, adding humorously, “One of the reasons she said she was a woman. Last I checked, I was also a woman.”
Nemmer’s lawsuit accuses the Justice Department of unlawfully violating her Title VII protections and her First Amendment rights regarding political activities.
She is not alone; at least 100 immigration officers have been dismissed or “expelled” under the Trump administration, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, which represents many judges.
According to reports, eight immigration judges in New York City were fired just this past Monday, raising alarms about staff reductions and the ability to manage cases effectively.
Muzaffar Chishti, a senior fellow at the Immigration Policy Institute and executive director at NYU School of Law, expressed concern in an interview about the situation in the immigration court system, noting that it has always faced scrutiny regarding its independence. However, he added that recent developments have significantly undermined confidence in the Office of Immigration Review, suggesting that these mass firings might deter judges from applying for vacancies or pressure them to issue certain verdicts.
The Justice Department did not provide immediate comments regarding the lawsuit or the recent firings.
Bondi labeled the lawsuit as merely one of many filed against the Trump administration, which she described as an effort to challenge presidential policies in court. “We’ve been sued 575 times,” she noted to President Trump and his Cabinet. “That’s more than all previous administrations since Reagan combined.”
She also highlighted the administration’s success in several Supreme Court cases where emergency interventions were sought. “24 wins on the Supreme Court, President Trump,” she stated, raising the success rate to 92% this year.
The Trump administration has recorded significant victories at the Supreme Court, particularly via emergency appeals, which allow swift government interventions in various legal matters. These appeals are frequently resolved through unsigned orders from the Supreme Court’s conservative majority.
While these rulings are temporary, they permit the Trump administration to implement a range of policies, including prohibiting transgender individuals from serving in the military, halting various Education Department grants, and reshuffling federal appointments.
“We won a national injunction to end DEI funding,” Bondi concluded during the meeting, asserting the administration’s commitment to aligning federal employment policies with “America First” principles.
