EXCLUSIVE: Trump DOJ Accused of Firing Immigration Judge 48 Hours After She Blew Whistle on ICE
Trump and ICE are at the center of a lawsuit filed by a former immigration judge who claims she was fired after raising concerns about the agency's conduct.
Sept. 11 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
A former immigration judge is suing the Justice Department after claiming she was fired just 48 hours after raising alarms about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conduct inside a San Francisco immigration court, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
According to court documents obtained by Radar, Chloe Dillon – who served as an immigration judge in San Francisco from 2022 until August 2025 – accused President Trump's DOJ of retaliating against her after she questioned whether immigration agents had unlawfully detained an unaccompanied minor and raised concerns about courthouse enforcement tactics.
Judge Claims White House Was Watching
Chloe Dillon claims she was warned the White House was paying attention after she challenged an ICE-related directive.
Dillon claimed the dispute with the administration began months earlier when an assistant chief immigration judge allegedly instructed judges to grant ICE requests to change venue except in "rare circumstances." She argued the directive conflicted with legal precedent and could interfere with immigrants' access to lawyers and witnesses.
According to the lawsuit, Dillon's supervisor allegedly warned her that "the White House" was paying attention to the issue and cautioned her against continuing to push back. The conflict allegedly escalated in August 2025.
Dillon said ICE filed thousands of motions to reopen previously closed cases, including matters involving people who had been classified as unaccompanied minors.
ICE Removal Fight Escalates
Dillon alleges she became concerned that ICE efforts involving unaccompanied minors could violate federal protections.
According to the complaint, Dillon denied two of those motions after becoming concerned that moving forward with removal proceedings could violate federal protections governing asylum applications for unaccompanied children.
Then, on August 20, Dillon said an individual appeared alone in her courtroom before ICE moved to dismiss his case and pursue expedited removal.
According to the complaint, the man asked whether he could be detained after leaving court. Dillon told him that he could, and later learned he had been taken into custody by ICE.
Chloe Dillon Fired 48 Hours After Warning
Dillon claims she was terminated roughly two days after raising concerns.
After reviewing the case later that day, Dillon said she concluded the individual was likely an unaccompanied minor who had protections that could prevent him from being placed into expedited removal.
She then emailed her supervisor, warning of possible violations of federal law and due process and arguing that courthouse arrests were disrupting the administration of justice.
Roughly 48 hours later, Dillon said she received an email informing her that she was being terminated "pursuant to Article II of the Constitution." The notice was signed by Acting Executive Office for Immigration Review Director Sirce Owen.
What Is Chloe Dillon Seeking?
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Dillion claimed only Attorney General Todd Blanche had the power to fire her.
Dillon's lawsuit accuses the DOJ of whistleblower retaliation, First Amendment violations, due process violations, and unlawful agency action.
She is seeking reinstatement, back pay, benefits, damages, and other relief.
Dillon also argued her firing was especially improper because, according to the suit, DOJ itself has taken the position that only the Attorney General has authority to remove certain officers under Article II. She claims Owen, not the Attorney General, carried out her termination.
