Three Massachusetts Immigration Judges Fired: What It Means If You Have a Case in Boston

A big change in our local immigration court.

As of this week, three immigration judges who served on the Boston Immigration Court have been fired by the federal government, including Judges Roopal Patel and Erin Gover. Judge Patel had recently ruled against the deportation of Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk. All three judges were appointed in 2024 and were among 18 judges fired in a single class.

What this means for pending cases.

When a judge leaves mid-docket, every case on that docket has to be reassigned. Reassignment typically means continuances — sometimes long ones — and the new judge will have to come up to speed on the file. For some clients, that’s a welcome breather. For others, especially anyone with a release from detention or work authorization tied to a hearing date, the delay creates real uncertainty.

What you should do now.

• Confirm your next hearing date through EOIR’s automated system or the court directly. Reassignments don’t always show up promptly in the online portal.

• Update your address with the court (Form EOIR-33) right away if you’ve moved. Missed hearings can lead to in-absentia removal orders.

• Gather any updated evidence you’ve been meaning to submit. A fresh judge may want to see a clean, current record.

We’re here to help.

We’re tracking which judges are picking up the affected dockets and how the rescheduling is going. If you have a hearing coming up in Boston Immigration Court, or you’re not sure where your case stands right now, please reach out.

Need help? Contact Vartanian Law Firm for a confidential consultation.

Source: WBUR — Mass. immigration judge firings