Tough Tacoma immigration judge named new U.S. attorney in Western WA

Mike Carter, The Seattle Times on Oct 1, 2025

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U.S. Immigration Judge Charles Neil Floyd, whose court is at the center of a class-action lawsuit over controversially tough rulings on bond for detained undocumented immigrants, has been tapped to be the new U.S. attorney in Western Washington.

Floyd confirmed Wednesday that President Donald Trump has asked him to take the job. He said he expects to be sworn into the position as acting U.S. attorney on Monday.

U.S. attorneys are presidential appointees who require the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.

"I look forward to it," Floyd said in a phone call. Floyd said he learned he was the candidate for the job "about three weeks ago."

Colin Fieman, the appointed federal public defender for Western Washington, congratulated Floyd on his nomination, adding, "I hope that we’ll find ways to work together to preserve the rule of law and serve the interests of justice during these troubling times."

Matt Adams, legal director for the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, said he has had a long and professional relationship with the U.S. attorney's office, and "we assume that will continue with Judge Floyd even with his background as an immigration judge."

Floyd began hearing cases at the Tacoma Immigration Court in October 2018. From 2009 to 2018, Floyd was an assistant chief counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Tacoma. From 2004 to 2009, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney in Washington, D.C. From 1998 to 2004, Floyd was a judge advocate with the U.S. Army. He has a law degree from the University of Arkansas School of Law.

He will replace Acting U.S. Attorney Teal Luthy Miller, who was appointed to the job after Trump fired U.S. Attorney Tessa Gorman last February as part of a nationwide purge of top federal prosecutors. Gorman served three years as acting U.S. attorney before being named to the job permanently by the judges in the district.

The Tacoma immigration court is the target of a class-action lawsuit over a series of allegedly "outlier decisions denying bond for undocumented immigrants at a rate higher than other courts around the country.

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Tiffany Cartwright found that the court's practice of denying bond to many immigrants held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center violated the law.

A spokesperson for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray said they were not aware of Floyd’s pending appointment.

Murray, the state’s senior senator, has moved to block Trump’s nomination of Pete Serrano as U.S. attorney for Eastern Washington, vowing to use “every legislative tool” available. She has accused him of “extreme right-wing views” on issues ranging from the Jan. 6 attempted insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, to abortion and gun control.

White House spokespeople did not immediately respond to emails.

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(Seattle Times staff reporter Nina Shapiro contributed to this story.)