Featured Issue: U.S. Immigration Courts under Trump 2.0
The U.S. immigration court system plays a critical role in upholding due process and ensuring fair hearings for individuals facing deportation. However, since January 20, 2025, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has implemented significant changes that challenge the structural integrity of these courts. This page aims to provide up-to-date information on the policy and legal shifts affecting the U.S. immigration court system.
Latest Updates
Updates from EOIR
Browse the Featured Issue: U.S. Immigration Courts under Trump 2.0 collection
AILA and Partners Send Letter to DHS on Prosecutorial Discretion for Labor Disputes
AILA and partners sent a letter to Secretary Mayorkas urging DHS to release guidance on prosecutorial discretion for individuals involved in labor disputes.
Attorney General Overrules Matter of S-O-G- & F-D-B-
The Attorney General overruled Matter of S-O-G- & F-D-B- and found that, pending the outcome of the rulemaking process, IJs and BIA may consider and grant termination or dismissal of removal proceedings in limited circumstances. Matter of Coronado Acevedo, 28 I&N Dec. 648 (A.G. 2022)
Practice Alert: ICE Withdraws Attorney Notification Requirements for COVID-19 Risk Factors
AILA alerts members that ICE has discontinued certain attorney notifications in its updated Pandemic Response Requirements as of 11/1/22.
AILA and Partners Send Letter to USCIS, EOIR, and OPLA on Biometrics Appointments
AILA and partners sent a letter to USCIS, EOIR, and OPLA addressing the unnecessary hurdles non-detained people in removal proceedings face in securing a biometrics appointment prior to their merits hearing.
CA6 Upholds CAT Denial to Iraqi Petitioner Who Claimed He Would Be Tortured Because of His Status as a Chaldean Christian
The court upheld the BIA’s denial of petitioner’s application for deferral of removal under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), finding that substantial evidence supported BIA’s conclusion that it was not likely that he would be tortured upon removal to Iraq. (Yousif v. Garland, 11/16/22)
CA8 Finds BIA Did Not Err in Holding Petitioner Failed to Make a Prima Facie Showing of Good Moral Character in His Motion to Reopen
The court held that the BIA did not err in determining that petitioner had failed to show prima facie eligibility for relief, as he failed to overcome the presumption that an applicant for hardship with multiple DUI convictions lacks good moral character. (Llanas-Trejo v. Garland, 11/16/22)
CA4 Says Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 26(c) Does Not Apply to Petitions for Review Governed by INA §242(b)(1)
The court held that Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 26(c) does not apply to petitions for review governed by INA §242(b)(1), and thus determined that it lacked jurisdiction to consider the petition for review on the merits because it was untimely. (Santos-de Jimenez v. Garland, 11/15/22)
AILA Applauds House Access-to-Counsel Legislation
AILA applauds the introduction of the “Funding Attorneys for Indigent Removal (FAIR) Proceedings Act” in the House of Representatives, an effort led by Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA) and Immigration Subcommittee Chair Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
The Clearly Uneven Vetting of U.S. Visa Applicants from Iran
AILA members Roujin Mozaffarimehr and Ally Bolour urge the Biden administration to address the clearly uneven vetting of Iranian nationals seeking to immigrate to the U.S. as worldwide attention focuses on the continued protests and upheaval in Iran.
Our “Candidate” is Immigration: 2022 Election Results Recap
In this blog post, AILA's Greg Chen and Sofia Rosales-Zeledon walk us through a recap of the 2022 midterm election results as they stand on November 9, 2022 with a focus on immigration as a campaign issue, and what opportunities there may be for immigration reform.
CA7 Finds That BIA’s Application of Matter of Thomas & Thompson in Petitioner’s Case Was Impermissibly Retroactive
The court held that because all but one of the Velásquez-García factors weighed against retroactive application of Matter of Thomas & Thompson in the petitioner’s case, applying the new rule to her would be manifestly unjust. (Zaragoza v. Garland, 11/8/22)
EOIR 30-Day Notice and Request for Comments on Proposed Revisions to Form EOIR-44
EOIR 30-day notice and request for comments on proposed revisions to Form EOIR-44, Immigration Practitioner Complaint Form. Comments are due 12/7/22. (87 FR 67071, 11/7/22)
EOIR 30-Day Notice and Request for Comments on Proposed Revisions to Form EOIR-31
EOIR 30-day notice-and-comment period for proposed revisions to Form EOIR-31, which allows an organization to request, renew, and extend recognition of the organization to appear before EOIR and/or DHS. Comments are due by 12/7/22. (87 FR 67071, 11/7/22)
CA1 Says BIA Erred in Finding Petitioner Received Notice Required Under INA §239(a) to Be Ordered Removed in Absentia
The court held that neither the document served on the petitioner that charged him with removability, nor the subsequent document he was sent stating the date and time of his removal proceedings, constituted the written notice required under INA §239(a). (Laparra-Deleon v. Garland, 11/4/22)
AILA Signs onto Letter Expressing Disappointment on the Explicit Exclusion of Many Immigrants on Criminal Policy Reforms
AILA and partners urged President Biden to extend pardon of federal convictions for marijuana possession to all immigrants, regardless of immigration status, and to take necessary steps to ensure that immigrants do not suffer negative immigration consequences from marijuana convictions.
Members of Congress Send Letter to DHS on Access to Counsel
Members of Congress sent a letter to DHS Secretary Mayorkas urging ICE to ensure that immigrants can access their legal representation in detention and makes recommendations on facility improvements.
DHS Begins Limited Implementation of DACA Final Rule
On 10/31/22, DHS began limited implementation of the DACA final rule. USCIS will continue to accept and process applications for deferred action, work authorization, and advance parole for current DACA recipients. Due to litigation, USCIS will accept but cannot process initial DACA requests.
EOIR 30-Day Notice and Request for Comments on Proposed Revisions to Forms EOIR-42A and EOIR-42B
EOIR 30-day notice and request for comments on proposed revisions to Form EOIR-42A and Form EOIR-42B. Comments are due 12/5/22. (87 FR 66326, 11/3/22)
AILA Policy Brief: Case Management: An Effective and Humane Alternative to Detention
AILA summarizes current DHS alternative to detention options and urges Congress to fund a new approach. Case management programs are a more humane and effective approach to obtaining compliance with immigration requirements while also helping migrants navigate complex removal proceedings.
CA2 Finds That BIA Properly Applied De Novo Review to IJ’s Request for Corroborating Evidence
The court held that the BIA properly applied de novo review to the IJ’s request for corroborating evidence and properly reviewed for clear error the IJ’s finding that petitioner failed to produce the requested evidence that he reasonably could have obtained. (Pinel-Gomez v. Garland, 11/2/22)
CA8 Upholds BIA’s Denial of Motion to Reconsider After Finding Petitioners Waived Challenge to IJ’s Past Persecution Determination
Upholding BIA’s denial of the motion to reconsider, the court held that petitioners failed to challenge the determinative issue of whether the Salvadoran government had inflicted or acquiesced in their persecution, and thus their claims for relief failed. (Coreas-Chavez v. Garland, 11/1/22)
CA2 Upholds BIA’s Denial of Asylum as to Ecuadorian Petitioner of Quechua Ethnicity
Denying the petition for review, the court held that the BIA did not err in denying petitioner’s withholding of removal claim when it required him to demonstrate that his Quechua ethnicity was at least one central reason motivating his claimed persecution. (Quituizaca v. Garland, 11/1/22)
CA4 Says Death Threats Asylum Applicant Received Were Due to Her Perceived Ownership of Land and Not Familial Relationship
The court held that substantial evidence supported the BIA’s finding that Honduran drug traffickers targeted petitioner because of her perceived ownership claim to the land of her deceased husband, rather than because of her familial relationship to him. (Madrid-Montoya v. Garland, 10/31/22)
CA9 Says Petitioner’s Conviction in California for Assault with a Deadly Weapon Was for a Particularly Serious Crime
Denying the petition for review, the court held that the BIA did not err in determining that petitioner’s California conviction for assault with a deadly weapon was for a particularly serious crime, making him ineligible for asylum and withholding of removal. (Hernandez v. Garland, 10/31/22)
EOIR Announces 32 New Immigration Judges
EOIR announced the appointment of 32 immigration judges to courts in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, New York, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.