Immigration Courts
There are over 220 Immigration Judges in more than 60 Immigration Courts nationwide. As a general matter, Immigration Judges determine removability and rule on applications for relief from removal (asylum, adjustment of status, cancellation of removal, waivers, etc.) The decisions of Immigration Judges are final unless timely appealed or certified to the Board of Immigration Appeals. However, some decisions can be reopened or reconsidered.
This page links to the contact information for all Immigration Courts and gives you access to the Immigration Judge Benchbook and the Immigration Court Practice Manual. It allows you to learn information about a specific Immigration Judge.
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Immigration Courts is divided into the following subsections:
- Videos
- Information About the Immigration Courts
- Practice Advisories from the American Immigration Council (AIC)
- Affirmance Without Opinion
VIDEOS
- Winning Your Case in Immigration Court
When you go before an immigration judge, the government may not be able prove that you are deportable from the U.S. and you may be able to apply for adjustment for status, asylum, cancellation of removal or registry.
- Cancellation of Removal for
Non-Permanent Residents
This video explains the basic process of applying for “Cancellation of Removal”, legal jargon for obtaining permanent residence from an Immigration Judge.
- Asylum: Winning Your Case
A person with a “well-founded fear” of persecution if they return to their home country may apply for asylum before the USCIS and a person in removal proceedings may apply for asylum before an Immigration Judge.
INFORMATION ABOUT THE IMMIGRATION COURTS
- Immigration Court Outcome Tool
- Immigration Court Backlog Tool (TRAC)
- New Judge Hiring Fails to Stem Rising Immigration Backlog
- Immigration Courts Listing
- Immigration Courts’ (800) Number
- Immigration Judge Benchbook
- Immigration Court Practice Manual
- Filing a Complaint Regarding an Immigration Judge’s Conduct
- Immigration Judge Reports — Asylum (TRAC)
- Report on Immigration Courts (TRAC)
- Report: Reforming the Immigration Courts (6-15-12)
- ICE Targets Fewwer Criminals in Deportation Proceedings (11-5-11)
- Immigration Case Backlog Still Growing in FY 2011 (2-07-11)
- Asylum Denial Rate Reaches All Time Low – TRAC (September 2010)
- House Immigration Subcommittee Hearing on Executive Office for Immigration Review (6-17-10)
- Immigration Case Backlog Still Growing (5-24-10)
- Appointments of New IJs Can’t Keep Up With Attrition: Due Process Suffers (3-16-10)
- Backlogged Immigration Matters Climb, Details by Court Location and Nationality – TRAC (March 2010)
- Crisis in the Immigration Courts – ABA News Release (2-02-10)
- Reforming the Immigration (Court) System – Executive Summary
- Case Backlogs in Immigration Courts Expand, Resulting Wait Times Grow – TRAC (June 2009)
- Immigration Courts Severely Backlogged (6-18-09)
- Significant Variation Existed in Asylum Outcomes across Immigration Courts and Judges (GAO 2008)
- Bush Plan to Reform Immigration Courts Lag (TRAC 2008)
- Attorney General Gonzales Outlines Reforms for Immigration Courts and BIA (August 9, 2006)
- Attorney General’s Memo to Immigration Courts (January 9, 2006)
- Immigration Judges Benchbook Index – October 2001 (Large file)
- How Immigration Court Works (Uniform Docketing System Manual – 2000)
- EOIR Headquarters Immigration Court – Fact Sheet (July 21, 2004)
PRACTICE ADVISORIES FROM THE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION COUNCIL (AIC)
- Terminating Removal Proceedings to Pursue Naturalization before DHS: Strategies for Challenging Matter of Acosta Hidalgo (3-18-08)
- Employment Authorization and Asylum: Strategies to Avoid Stopping the Asylum Clock (2-28-06)
- Staying The Voluntary Departure Period When Filing A Motion To Reopen (12-16-05 )
- EOIR Background and Security Check Regulations–Effective April 1, 2005 (4-6-05)
- Objecting to Video Merits Hearings (12-12-03)
- Practicing Before the BIA Under the New “Procedural Reforms” Rule (9-17-02, Amended 1-10-03)
Affirmance Without Opinion