Home / Business and Economy / Meta Manager Fired Over Exaggerated Green Card Letter
Meta Manager Fired Over Exaggerated Green Card Letter
23 Aug
Summary
- Ex-manager sued Meta for wrongful termination over immigration document dispute.
- He refused to sign an exaggerated Green Card reference letter for a colleague.
- Lawsuit seeks over $1 million in damages for lost pay and stock.
In a lawsuit filed in August 2026, former Meta Product Design Manager James Tillinghast alleges wrongful termination after refusing to sign an immigration document. The conflict originated in 2024 when Tillinghast was asked to support a colleague's Green Card application with a reference letter.
The letter reportedly contained exaggerated claims about the colleague's contributions, including generating $638 million in advertising revenue. Tillinghast revised the letter to reflect only truthful statements before refusing to endorse the original, citing his good-faith belief against submitting materially inaccurate information.
Following his refusal, Tillinghast's internal access was revoked, and he was terminated in September 2024. He contends this was retaliatory, as he had no prior negative performance records. The suit also accuses Meta of preferential immigration assistance based on national origin. Tillinghast is seeking over $1 million in damages.
