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 as they often receive multiple requests.
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) is a directory that lists private (usually paid) attorneys who are AILA members.
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?
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.
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.
These materials are not meant to constitute legal advice. We cannot guarantee that you or your loved one qualifies for any form of immigration relief or what the outcome will be of any materials you submit using these resources.
What should I do when I get out of detention? – Some key items are listed in this document to help with next steps.
Pro Se Motions to Change Venue Toolkit – Once you have been released from detention or move, you will need to notify EOIR of your new address so you are able to receive upcoming court dates and updates on your case. If you move, you have five days to notify the Court and the Immigration of your new address. If you fail to notify the court, you may miss a court date and the judge may issue a deportation order.
Pro Se Notices of Appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) - When someone is denied relief in immigration court, they can appeal their case to the BIA, but they must submit the notice of appeal within 30 days of the immigration judge’s decision.
- Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project – BIA Appeal Toolkit
- Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project – BIA Appeals
- Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project – Ninth Circuit Appeals
Pro Se Motions to Reopen in Absentia – Failure to appear for a scheduled removal hearing means that the immigration judge (IJ) will most likely have ordered you to be removed without your presence in court. When someone is denied relief in immigration court, they can appeal their case to the BIA, but they must submit the notice of appeal within 30 days of IJ’s decision.
- Asylum Seeker Advocacy Project (ASAP) Toolkit
- ASAP’s Guide to Assisting Families with in Absentia Removal Orders
For the full list of self-help resources visit their pages –
- 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.
