Case: Espinoza v. Blanche
1:26-cv-05157 | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Filed Date: May 4, 2026
Case Ongoing
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case challenges the U.S. Department of Justice's decision to fire a Chicago immigration judge, allegedly because of her race, national origin, sex, and prior association with immigrant advocacy organizations. On May 5, 2026, Judge Carla I. Espinoza filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, in his official capacity, and the DOJ. She sued under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e et seq.) and the First Amendment. Represented by private counsel, the plaintiff sought back pay, lost benefits, compensatory damages, instatement to a permanent immigration judge position (or front pay), declaratory relief, and, in the alternative, mandamus. This case was assigned to District Court Judge Charles P. Kocoras.
The plaintiff, appointed as a probationary immigration judge at the Chicago Immigration Court in July 2023, adjudicated over 1,000 cases in Fiscal Year 2023 to 2024 and was never disciplined. She alleged that in 2025, the DOJ terminated a disproportionate number of probationary judges who were women, people of color, and ethnic minorities, and that all judges in her July 2023 class with Hispanic, Middle-Eastern, or South-Asian surnames were fired while white, non-Hispanic males were retained. She further alleged that her termination was connected to her decision to set bond in the high-profile case of a Mexican national respondent despite public opposition from the White House. After receiving a Notice of Non-Conversion on July 11, 2025, and exhausting her administrative remedies, she filed this lawsuit asserting Title VII discrimination, First Amendment retaliation, declaratory judgment, and mandamus in the alternative.
A related lawsuit, Lilien v. Blanche, No. 3:26-cv-03965 (N.D. Cal.), raises similar claims by another fired immigration judge from the same July 2023 class as the plaintiff.
The case is ongoing.
Summary Authors
Simon Jillson (6/8/2026)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73294104/parties/espinoza-v-blanche/
Kocoras, Charles Petros (Illinois)
Lee, David L. (Illinois)
Simpson, Geoffrey Howard (Illinois)
Swanson, Francis (Illinois)
Moynihan, John Patrick (Illinois)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/73294104/espinoza-v-blanche/
Last updated Nov. 14, 2026, 3:41 a.m.
Docket for: Espinoza v. Blanche
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Trump Administration 2.0: Challenges to the Government
Key Dates
Filing Date: May 4, 2026
Case Ongoing: Yes
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Plaintiff (Carla I. Espinoza) is a resident and citizen of the State of Illinois whom was appointed by defendant to serve as an Immigration Judge for its Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”), Chicago Immigration Court.
Plaintiff Type(s):
Public Interest Lawyer: No
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Federal
U.S. Department of Justice
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Ex Parte Young (Federal) or Bivens
Title VII (including PDA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Northern District of Illinois 1:26-cv-05157
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Relief Sought:
Relief Granted:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Discrimination Area:
Content/viewpoint discrimination
Discrimination Basis:
National origin discrimination
Affected National Origin/Ethnicity(s):
Affected Race(s):
Affected Sex/Gender(s):
Immigration/Border:
Case Summary of Espinoza v. Blanche, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/48140/ (last updated 6/8/2026).