Where can I find updates of mine or my loved one’s case?
Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) – you can find updates about upcoming court dates and past decisions from an immigration judge, if applicable.
You can obtain these updates online or over the phone.
Online
Visit the EOIR website. Enter your loved one’s A#, and you will be provided with case information.
Phone
Contact the automated hotline, available in English and Spanish, 1-800-898-7180. The system will ask you to enter your loved one’s information to hear updates in their case.
- After dialing, follow the prompts. To continue in English, you will press 1 to hear the message.
- After selecting language, enter your loved one’s alien number, also known as the A#. This number consists of 9 digits. If you only have 8 digits use 0 at the beginning.
- After confirming your loved one’s name, you can select 1, 2, 3, and 4 to hear any relevant court update.
Who can I contact for help?
Please note that for the following lists, we cannot guarantee the rates or availability to assist in any matter. We also cannot make any representations on the quality of the legal services provided.
We encourage you to contact all the organizations in your region to seek assistance.
The Immigrant Advocates Network Legal Directory is a database where you can look up legal service providers by detention center and ZIP code.
The EOIR Pro Bono Legal Service Providers similar as the above is a database where you can look up legal service providers by detention center and ZIP code.
What should I watch out for when looking for an attorney?
AILA Warning
Finding help isn’t always easy. The situation you and your loved one are in makes it all the harder to navigate. The American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) guidance letter can help you when interacting with immigration lawyers and what you should watch out for.
My loved one is going through a medical emergency...What can I do?
- Because of the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, detained individuals may wish to seek release from detention on humanitarian parole. You don’t need to have an attorney to request parole.
- These materials are not meant to constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that your loved one qualifies for this form of immigration relief or what the outcome will be of any materials you submit using these resources.
Medical Care in Immigration Custody – General Resources published by the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project (FIRRP). “These publications are meant to provide useful basic information about immigration law and detention in removal in Arizona and were created in the course of the Florence Project’s work. Under no circumstances do they constitute legal advice.”
I’m not sure what to do... Are there any self-help guides available?
You can find information about immigration relief and resources to help your detained loved one advocate for themselves if they can’t find an attorney.
Noted by the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project: These publications are meant to provide useful basic information about immigration law and detention. Under no circumstances do they constitute legal advice. These self-help materials are designed for people who are detained to use in representing themselves when applying for some common forms of legal relief from removal.
- Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project – How to defend your own case
- Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) – Legal Toolkits
Innovation Law Lab and the Detention Watch Network have put together some great educational videos that should answer many of your questions about the immigration process. The following topics are available in several languages:
- What is the difference between pro se and full representation?
- What is the difference between ICE, ISAP and the court?
- What is an MCH?
- What is an NTA? What is a notice of hearing? How do I read it?
- What is an I-589?
- What is a work permit?
- What are biometrics?
- What is a merits hearing?
- What is an FOIA?
Available in:
Asylum: Your Case Is In Your Hands: Available in Spanish, Chuj, English, Haitian Creole, K’iche, Mam, Portuguese, Q’anjob’al and Russian.
AILA Warning
Finding help isn’t always easy. The situation you and your loved one are in makes it all the harder to navigate. The American Immigration Lawyers Association’s (AILA) guidance letter can help you when interacting with immigration lawyers and what you should watch out for.
