A former immigration judge in California has sued the Trump administration, alleging she was terminated without cause after raising concerns that federal agents had unlawfully detained an unaccompanied minor.
Chloe Dillon, who served as an immigration judge in San Francisco for three years, said in her complaint that she was terminated last August despite receiving "excellent reviews" and resolving thousands of cases with few appeals.
Dillon, who believes she was terminated in retaliation for whistleblowing, is one of more than 120 immigration judges who have been removed during the Trump administration's immigration crackdown, according to the union representing immigration judges.
According to Dillon's complaint, immigration judges received a directive last April from the assistant chief immigration judge stating that all requests by the Department of Homeland Security to move a case to a different venue should be granted.
The directive was contrary to previous court rulings that provided immigration judges with discretion to decide motions to change venue, Dillon's attorneys said in the complaint.
The former immigration judge expressed concern about the directive and met with Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Loi McCleskey, according to court documents.
"Plaintiff further expressed concern that it might interfere even with the non-citizen's right to counsel, as Plaintiff did not know if attorneys would be able to retain the case once transferred to another court,...
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