EEOC⁤ Judge fired After opposing Trump’s Transgender policy

Updated June 26, 2025
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Karen Ortiz, an administrative⁢ judge in the U.S. Equal Employment Chance Commission’s (EEOC) New York office, was fired ‍after publicly opposing former President Donald Trump’s executive order defining male and female as “immutable” sexes. The EEOC, the federal agency responsible for enforcing workplace ‍anti-discrimination laws, terminated Ortiz on Tuesday after placing her on⁤ administrative leave last month.

In February, Ortiz emailed over 1,000 colleagues, denouncing Trump’s order as “unethical.” she also criticized Acting Chair⁣ Andrea Lucas, a Trump appointee, for pausing legal cases involving discrimination claims from transgender workers. Ortiz urged Lucas⁤ to resign.

Following the executive order,the ⁣EEOC moved to drop at least seven pending legal cases filed by transgender workers alleging discrimination. The agency also reclassified new gender identity-related cases as its lowest priority, signaling a shift from its previous interpretation⁤ of civil⁣ rights law and impacting the EEOC role ‍in ‍protecting LGBTQIA+ workers.

ortiz’s February email stated that Lucas was “not fit to be our chair, much less hold a license to practice law.”‍ the email gained traction on Reddit, receiving over 10,000 upvotes.

The EEOC afterward revoked Ortiz’s email privileges for a week and issued a written reprimand ⁤for “discourteous conduct.” Ortiz saeid she continued to voice her opposition, sending an April 24 email with a link to Tears ⁣for Fears’ “Everybody wants to Rule the World.”

Earlier this month, Ortiz contested her proposed termination, arguing that she was upholding her oath of office by challenging what she believed to be illegal behavior. According to a document submitted by her union representative, Ortiz believed the EEOC’s actions created a opposed environment for LGBTQIA+ workers and ⁣that leadership had “abandoned the EEOC’s core mission.”

chief‍ Administrative Judge Regina Stephens stated in the six-page termination notice that Ortiz’s actions were “distasteful and unprofessional” and that her⁢ “work performance is affected” by her disagreement with the EEOC’s⁢ direction. The notice also alleged that ⁤media coverage of Ortiz’s emails ⁤had damaged the agency’s reputation.

Ortiz said the news of her termination was “very sad,” but not surprising. “I think the agency has now become something that,I don’t know if ⁢I’d even really want to work there anymore. They’ve lost their way,” she said.

Lucas defended the decision to⁤ drop lawsuits on ⁢behalf of transgender workers during a Senate committee hearing ⁢last week, acknowledging that while⁣ transgender workers are protected under civil rights laws, the agency must comply with presidential orders.

Ortiz attended the‍ hearing, ⁣traveling from New York to Washington at her own⁣ expense.She left thank-you notes for senators who questioned Lucas.

Ortiz said ‍she will continue fighting for civil rights and⁢ plans to volunteer as a dog walker. “I⁢ will keep⁤ fighting for the⁤ LGBTQ community in whatever way I can,” she said.

She added, “It takes courage to take a ‍stand, and be willing to be fired, and lose a six-figure job, and health insurance, and the prestige of the ⁣title of ‘judge,’ but I think it’ll also serve an example to future lawyers and young lawyers out there that a job title isn’t everything, and it’s more‍ important to stay true to your values.”

What’s next

Ortiz plans to continue advocating for civil rights,focusing on the LGBTQ community,while exploring future⁣ career options.