New Immigration Judges for New York, New Jersey and New England Courts, July–September 2026

Immigration courts: Chelmsford Immigration Court, New York Immigration Court, Newark Immigration Court · Massachusetts Immigration Courts · New York Immigration Courts · New Jersey Immigration Courts

On September 24, 2026, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), the Justice Department agency that runs the immigration courts, announced its newest class of immigration judges. It was the third such announcement since July. Across the three classes (July 29, August 27 and September 24, 2026), EOIR's biographies assign 34 new judges to courts in New York, New Jersey, New England and Philadelphia. The largest groups went to the New York – Federal Plaza Immigration Court (13) and the Chelmsford Immigration Court (9).

This is general information, not legal advice. The sources are EOIR's press release and judge biographies of September 24, 2026 (opens in new tab), August 27, 2026 (opens in new tab) and July 29, 2026 (opens in new tab).

Who joined each court

The list below follows EOIR's biographies. "Temporary" means EOIR appointed the person as a temporary immigration judge. The short note after each name is the most recent prior position the biography gives.

New York – Federal Plaza

• Jennifer A. Henry (July): judge, First District Court, Suffolk County, N.Y.
• Louis J. Luba Jr. (July): state prosecutor, Connecticut Division of Criminal Justice
• Toniann Territola (July): assistant chief counsel, ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, New York
• Brett R. Geiger (August): assistant U.S. attorney, Southern District of Florida
• Niles Thomas Gerry (August): assistant chief counsel, ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Newburgh, N.Y.
• John C. Allison (September): general attorney, CBP Office of Chief Counsel, Buffalo
• Brian J. Boyd (September): trial attorney, Department of Justice
• Daniel Fellhauer (September): chief deputy, Scott County (Va.) Commonwealth's Attorney
• Zachary N. Godsey (September): senior supervising attorney, Navy JAG Corps, Pensacola
• David S. Lo (September): in-house counsel, Allstate
• Yeshaya Poyurs (September): temporary immigration judge since February 2026
• Kevin L. Hoffman, temporary (September): owner, Hoffman Law PLLC
• Jesse Schaefer, temporary (September): partner, Womble Bond Dickinson

Chelmsford

• Michael A. Sullivan (July): assistant U.S. attorney, Northern District of Ohio
• Kai V. Bernal-LeClaire, temporary (July): counsel, Department of the Navy
• Terry M. Meinecke, temporary (July): assistant U.S. attorney, Middle District of North Carolina
• Adam H. Leonatti (August): chief of labor law, U.S. Air Force
• Brian J. Pearly (August): assistant attorney general, Criminal Bureau, Boston
• Charles P. Schofield (August): assistant district attorney, Bristol County, Mass.
• Dana D. Babbin (September): associate and consultant, National Criminal Justice Training Center
• Fahimeh Kennedy (September): executive director, Ohio Oil & Gas Commission
• Jose G. Rodriguez-Rosado (September): attorney advisor, Board of Veterans Appeals

Newark

• Donna M. Bates (July): assistant general counsel, Cenlar FSB
• Chak L. Wong (September): supervisory immigration services officer, USCIS
• Thomas P. Belsky, temporary (September): public defender, New Jersey Office of the Public Defender

Elizabeth

• Jason S. Frankenfield, temporary (August): Army staff judge advocate
• Daniel J. Mulhern, temporary (August): chief of Maritime and International Law, Joint Task Force Southern Border
• Ernie Dukes (September): associate attorney, Morgan & Morgan, Jacksonville

Boston

• Nicole M. Jergovic (July): program manager, Humane World for Animals
• Eric Young (August): associate area counsel, IRS Office of Chief Counsel

Other courts

• Hartford: David A. Melanson (July), assistant district attorney, Hampden County, Mass.
• Buffalo: Alexander Benjamin Rubin (July), judicial hearing officer, NYC Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings
• New York – Varick: William L. Richards III, temporary (July), special assistant U.S. attorney, District of Minnesota
• Philadelphia: Timothy P. Kelly Jr. (August), counsel, ICE Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Philadelphia

In July, EOIR also appointed Yamileth G. Davila as Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judge – East, a leadership role within the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge.

What a new judge can mean for your case

EOIR's announcements do not say which pending cases, if any, will move to the new judges. In practice, when a court adds judges, some cases may be reassigned to a different judge, and hearings may be rescheduled, moved earlier or later. A reassignment does not end or pause your case, and the law that applies to it stays the same. What changes is the name on the docket and, possibly, your date and time. For the stages of a case, see our guide to removal proceedings.

What to do now

1. Check your case in ACIS. Use EOIR's Automated Case Information portal (opens in new tab) with your A-number. Confirm your court, your judge, your next hearing date and time, and whether the hearing is in person or by video. Check again before every hearing.
2. Open and keep every letter from the court. Hearing notices come by mail. Keep the envelope, too.
3. Keep your address current. If you move, file Form EOIR-33 (change of address) with the court handling your case within five days. The court sends notices to the address on file.
4. Do not miss a hearing. If you do not appear, the judge can order you removed in absentia (in your absence). Undoing that order is hard and has strict deadlines; see our guide to motions to reopen.
5. Keep your filing deadlines. A new judge does not change a deadline already set. Unless the court issues a new order, file on time.

How we can help

If your case is before one of these courts and you received a new notice, or you are not sure where your case stands, we can review it with you. Our firm is led by Carlos Maury, former U.S. Immigration Judge, and handles removal proceedings nationwide. You can contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Will my case be moved to one of the new judges?

EOIR's announcements do not say. Check ACIS (opens in new tab) and your mail; the judge assigned to your case appears in your hearing information.

If my judge changes, do I have to start over?

No. Your case continues where it is. The evidence and applications already filed stay in the record.

What if my hearing was rescheduled and I cannot attend the new date?

Contact a lawyer promptly. A request to change a hearing date must be filed with the court. Until the judge grants it, the scheduled hearing stands.

Which court got the most new judges?

New York – Federal Plaza, with 13 (11 immigration judges and 2 temporary immigration judges), followed by Chelmsford with 9.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice, and does not create an attorney–client relationship. Judge assignments and hearing dates can change; confirm your case details at ACIS (opens in new tab) and in the EOIR announcement (opens in new tab), and consult a qualified attorney about your specific situation.

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