Who we are

Maria Lurye is the Principal Attorney of Maria Lurye Law, PLLC, a legal consulting firm dedicated to supporting attorneys who practice immigration removal defense. With nearly two decades of experience across all sides of the immigration courtroom, Ms. Lurye brings a rare and comprehensive perspective to trial strategy, case development, and effective advocacy.

From 2017 through December 2025, Ms. Lurye served as an Immigration Judge, adjudicating thousands of removal proceedings in both detained and non-detained court settings. Her experience on the bench provides deep insight into judicial decision-making, evidentiary analysis, credibility determinations, and the practical considerations that shape outcomes in immigration court.

Prior to her judicial appointment, Ms. Lurye spent nine years with the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (ICE-OPLA), serving as an Assistant Chief Counsel from 2008 to 2017. In that role, she litigated removal cases, handled complex legal issues, and supervised trial-level proceedings. She also drafted appellate briefs in matters before the Board of Immigration Appeals, developing deep familiarity with effective appellate framing and standards of review.

Through Maria Lurye Law, PLLC, Ms. Lurye provides strategic consulting services to immigration attorneys nationwide, including merits hearing preparation, review of legal filings and evidentiary records, targeted trainings, and practical guidance grounded in real-world courtroom experience. Her work is focused on helping practitioners present clearer, more persuasive, and better-structured cases at both the trial and appellate levels.

Ms. Lurye is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey. She earned her Juris Doctor from Rutgers School of Law–Newark and is a member of the Round Table of Former Immigration Judges, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the American Bar Association (ABA).