George Pappas Sues Justice Department Over Firing as 178 Immigration Judges Lost Jobs
Updated
Updated · The New Bedford Light · May 20
George Pappas Sues Justice Department Over Firing as 178 Immigration Judges Lost Jobs
1 articles · Updated · The New Bedford Light · May 20
May 14 brought a wrongful-termination lawsuit from former Chelmsford immigration judge George Pappas, who says the Justice Department targeted him partly for past ties to immigrant-rights groups.
Pappas alleges a broader pattern of probationary judge firings tied to age, national origin, gender, race and political affiliation, after three of four Chelmsford judges reaching probation review in April 2025 were dismissed.
The suit lands amid sweeping EOIR changes under Trump, including 52 policy memos in 15 months and 118 BIA precedent decisions, which former judges say narrowed relief and pressured courts toward denials.
Those staffing and policy shifts have coincided with a 75% drop in monthly asylum grants—from 2,753 in March 2025 to 700 in March 2026—even as the overall immigration-court backlog still stands at 3.34 million cases.
With hundreds of judges dismissed, can the 3.4 million case immigration backlog ever be cleared?
As asylum grants hit historic lows, what does 'due process' now mean for immigrants in U.S. courts?
Over 100 Immigration Judges Fired: Inside the 2025–2026 Purge, Legal Battles, and the Future of U.S. Judicial Independence
Overview
In May 2026, George Pappas filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Justice Department, claiming he was unlawfully fired due to his background defending immigrants, his Greek heritage, and his age. His case highlights a broader pattern under the Trump administration, which dismissed over 100 immigration judges—many with civil rights or legal aid experience—before their probation periods ended. This wave of firings appears aimed at reshaping the ideological makeup of immigration courts. Other judges who were let go are also challenging the government, raising concerns about judicial independence and the future of fair immigration hearings.