DHS General Counsel James Percival Criticized for Online Attacks on Federal Judges

Legal commentator Michael Popok, on the podcast The Intersection, called for the immediate removal of James Percival, the Department of Homeland Security’s general counsel. Popok said Percival has used official, taxpayer‑funded social‑media accounts to label federal judges in Massachusetts and Maryland as “radical,” “leftist,” “criminal” or “illegal,” naming them by name. He singled out Judge Paula Xinis after she ordered the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a case later dismissed. Popok argued that Percival’s conduct threatens judicial independence and personal safety, linking it to statements by acting Attorney General Todd Blanche about a “war against the federal judiciary.” Percival, a former aide to Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, has been described as a “right‑wing radical.”