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The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency responsible for enforcing civil rights laws protecting workers, has moved to terminate an administrative judge from New York for defying directives from the Trump administration.
This includes the controversial executive order issued by President Donald Trump, which declared that gender is strictly binary, recognizing only male and female as immutable sexes.
As part of this directive, the EEOC decided to abandon at least seven ongoing cases involving transgender workers who had alleged discrimination. The agency also downgraded the priority of all future gender identity-related discrimination cases, marking a stark shift from its previous stance on civil rights protection.
EEOC Judge Karen Ortiz Under Fire
Alleged Misconduct and Disrespectful Conduct
The EEOC’s actions against Administrative Judge Karen Ortiz began after she publicly criticized the agency’s compliance with President Trump’s executive orders.
In February 2025, Ortiz sent a mass email to over 1,000 colleagues, criticizing the agency’s leadership, particularly Acting Chair Andrea Lucas, who had been appointed by Trump.
In this email, Ortiz openly questioned Lucas’s fitness to lead the agency, stating, “You are not fit to be our chair much less hold a license to practice law,” and emphasized her unwillingness to compromise her ethics in upholding the law.
Ortiz’s email was later leaked on Reddit, where it garnered significant attention and support, receiving over 10,000 upvotes. In the aftermath, the EEOC temporarily revoked her email privileges and issued a formal reprimand for what it termed “discourteous conduct.”
Ortiz’s email was also cited in a White House proposal seeking to streamline the firing process for federal workers, using her actions as an example of bureaucrats resisting presidential policies.
Administrative Leave and Potential Termination
In response to the controversy, the EEOC placed Ortiz on administrative leave. The agency notified her of their intent to terminate her employment, accusing her of “profoundly unprofessional” conduct.
According to the EEOC’s notice, the issue was not the content of Ortiz’s disagreement with the agency’s policy but rather the way she expressed it, including the circulation of her email to the press, which allegedly caused significant reputational damage to the agency.
Despite the notice, Ortiz remained defiant. She stated that the attention her email received only expanded her platform, as noted in an April 19 message to The Associated Press.
Ortiz has made it clear that she plans to contest the termination and is currently consulting with her attorneys and union representatives on the best course of action.
The EEOC’s Shift in Direction Under Trump
Leadership Changes and Policy Shifts
The EEOC has undergone significant changes since President Trump assumed office. In an unprecedented move, Trump fired two of the three Democratic commissioners of the agency, paving the way for policy changes that aligned with his administration’s goals.
This shift was particularly impactful for the agency’s stance on diversity and inclusion programs, as well as protections for transgender and nonbinary workers.
One of the dismissed commissioners, Jocelyn Samuels, challenged her termination in a lawsuit, arguing that her removal violated the Civil Rights Act, which was designed to ensure the EEOC’s independence. This dismissal also left the EEOC without the quorum needed to make important decisions.
However, the appointment of Brittany Panuccio, an assistant U.S. attorney from Florida, could soon restore the agency’s quorum and solidify a Republican majority, clearing the way for further significant policy changes.
Continued Opposition from Ortiz
Despite facing repercussions for her outspoken criticism, Ortiz has continued to voice her opposition to the agency’s actions.
In an April 24 email to Lucas, Ortiz compared the situation to the song “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” by Tears for Fears, urging her colleagues to reflect on the agency’s direction and the consequences of the policies being implemented.
Ortiz’s ability to send emails was again revoked shortly after this communication.
Legal Battle Ahead for Ortiz
Ortiz plans to challenge her termination and has already begun preparing with legal counsel and her union. She has the right to submit a response within 15 days and may request an attorney or a representative to assist her in the process. The final decision on her termination will be made after this period.
The termination proceedings against Judge Karen Ortiz highlight the tension within federal agencies under the Trump administration, particularly concerning the interpretation of civil rights laws and policies related to transgender and nonbinary protections.
Ortiz’s public stance against these changes has drawn significant attention, and her legal battle could set a precedent for how federal workers are disciplined for opposing presidential policies. The outcome of this case could have broader implications for the future of civil rights protections within the EEOC and beyond.