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.
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Updates from EOIR
Browse the Featured Issue: U.S. Immigration Courts under Trump 2.0 collection
CA8 Finds Agency Erred by Not Placing Burden on Gov’t in Asylum Termination
The court found that the IJ and BIA erred in placing the burden on Petitioner to prove her asylum eligibility anew. The court held that the regulation requires the government to prove fraud by a preponderance of the evidence.(Ntangsi v. Gonzales, 1/30/06)
CA1 Upholds Denial of Motion to Reopen in Chinese Family Planning Case
The court held that the BIA properly denied Petitioner’s motion to reopen where the motion did not include new evidence and where Petitioner’s claim of ineffective assistance of counsel did not meet the Lozada requirements. (Zeng v. Gonzales, 1/27/06)
CA2 Lacks Jurisdiction to Review Hardship Determination for Cancellation
Joining several other circuits, the court held that INA §242(a)(2)(B)(i) barred it from reviewing the purely discretionary determination of whether a person demonstrated hardship to merit cancellation of removal. (De La Vega v. Gonzales, 1/27/06)
BIA on Inadmissibility After Reentry Post-Removal
The BIA holds that a person who enters without admission after removal is inadmissible even if AG granted permission to reapply for admission prior to reentering unlawfully. Matter of Torres-Garcia, 23 I&N Dec. 866 (BIA 2006)
CA2 Finds IJ Abused His Discretion in Denying Asylum in Forced Sterilization Case
The court held that the IJ abused his discretion by not considering the totality of the circumstances, relying instead on findings that part of Petitioner’s story was false and that he had used a smuggler. (Huang v. INS, 1/25/06)
CA7 Reviews Petition for Review Filed Beyond 30-Day Deadline
Relying on REAL ID §106(c), CA7 held that, where Petitioner’s habeas corpus petition was pending in district court on 5/11/05, it could review the BIA’s 1997 decision even though the petition for review was not filed within the 30-day deadline. (Medellin-Reyes v. Gonzales, 1/24/06)
CA7 Overturns Adverse Credibility Finding of Albanian Asylum Applicant
The court held that the IJ erred in finding Petitioner’s testimony was implausible, inconsistent with a DOS country profile and inconsistent with other evidence.(Shtaro v. Gonzales, 1/24/06)
BIA Says Victim of Sexual Abuse Under 18 Years Old is a Minor
The BIA held that a victim of sexual abuse under the age of 18 is a minor for purposes of determining whether an alien has been convicted of sexual abuse of a minor within the meaning of the INA. Matter of V-F-D, 23 I&N Dec. 859 (BIA 2005)
CA6 Heightens the Prejudice Showing Required to Prevail on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims Based on Prior Counsel’s Failure to Seek Judicial
The court held that “the lost opportunity to appeal an adverse decision in a removal proceeding, because of ineffective assistance of counsel, cannot form the basis of a due process claim unless the appeal itself would have succeeded.” (Sako v. Gonzales, 1/20/06)
CA2 Discusses One-Year Asylum Deadline and “Last Arrival"
The court found Petitioner's asylum application untimely and concluded that the term "last arrival in the United States" should not include return on parole after a brief trip abroad. (Joaquin-Porras v. Gonzales, 1/18/06)
CA9 Reaffirms Reliance Requirement in Retroactivity Analysis
To establish impermissible retroactive effect, the court held that a petitioner must demonstrate that the underlying conduct would have been different based on reliance on existing immigration laws. Two circuits have disagreed. (Kelava v. Gonzales, 1/12/06).
CA2 Upholds Adverse Credibility, Concedes Other Panel Might Have Found Otherwise
In a Chinese family planning case, the court held that the IJ’s implausibility finding was supported by substantial evidence, but noted that other panels could have decided differently. (Chen v. Gonzales, 1/12/06)
CA5 Says It Can Review Legal and Constitutional Challenges to Orders Underlying Reinstatement Orders
CA5 found INA §242(a)(2)(D) covers the bar to review of a prior order in INA §241(a)(5) and thus permits review of legal and constitutional claims. But, the court dismissed the case because Petitioner failed to appeal the order in the prior proceedings. (Ramirez-Molina v. Ziglar, 1/12/06)
CA5 Joins Second and Fourth Circuits in Holding that Persons With Pre-IIRIRA Jury Convictions Are Not Eligible for §212(c)
Adopting the Second Circuit’s rationale in Rankine v. Reno, the court held that IIRIRA’s repeal of relief under former §212(c) does not have impermissible retroactive effect on people with pre-IIRIRA jury trial convictions. (Hernandez-Castillo v. Gonzales, 1/12/06)
Letter from AILA to Attorney General Gonzales Regarding Due Process in Removal Proceedings
Letter from AILA President Deborah Notkin to Attorney General Gonzales outlining AILA concerns about due process in removal proceedings and BIA Affirmance Without Order review, and commending the AG for his new program to review the conduct of removal proceedings and BIA review proceedings.
AILA Welcoming the Attorney General's Review of Immigration Judges and BIA Processes
AILA strongly commends Attorney General Gonzales’ announcement that he is launching a comprehensive review of the immigration courts, including the Board of Immigration Review.
Attorney General Issues Memorandum to BIA
In a January 9, 2006, memorandum to the Board of Immigration Appeals, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales directs the development of a comprehensive review of the immigration courts and the BIA, including the quality of work and the manner in which it is performed.
Attorney General Issues Memorandum to Immigration Judges
In a January 9, 2006, memorandum to Immigration Judges, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales directs the development of a comprehensive review of the immigration courts, including the quality of work and the manner in which it is performed.
CA5 Holds No Right to Procedural Protections in a Motion to Reopen Hearing
The court held that INA §240 governs removal proceedings, not motion to reopen proceedings, and that Petitioner has no constitutionally protected liberty interest in a discretionary motion to reopen. (Altamirano v. Gonzales, 1/5/06)
CA2 Remands Withholding, Finds IJ Ignored Testimony
The court remanded Petitioner's claim of withholding from the Republic of Georgia because the IJ failed to consider the harm Petitioner suffered. (Ivanishvili v. Gonzales, 1/5/06)
CA2 Says Transporting Women to Forced Abortions Is Assisting in Persecution
The court found that the IJ correctly concluded that Petitioner’s actions in transporting captive women to undergo forced abortions was assistance in persecution and therefore, a bar to asylum. (Xie v. Gonzales, 1/5/06)
CA5 Upholds Validity of NTA Signed By DHS Officer Who Is Not Authorized to Issue NTAs
The court upheld the government’s interpretation of 8 CFR §239.1 allowing unauthorized officers to initially sign and serve an NTA so long as the officer later obtains approval from an authorized official. (Ali v. Gonzales, 1/4/06)
CA4 Finds General Challenge to Denial of Adjustment is Not Reviewable
Although it acknowledged that it would have jurisdiction to review a legal or constitutional challenge to the denial of an adjustment application, the court found that Petitioner’s petition failed to present such a challenge. (Higuit v. Gonzales, 1/3/06)
CA3 Notes that BIA Decision Ordering Remand Is Not Final
In a footnote, the court said that the BIA’s first order affirming removability but remanding to allow Petitioner to pursue relief was not final for purposes of judicial review until remand proceedings were completed and the BIA ruled on the second appeal. (Singh v. Gonzales, 1/3/06)
CA9 Finds Likelihood that USC Daughter Would Be Subjected to FGM Requires Remand of Parents’ Claim
The en banc court found that the probability a US citizen child would be subjected to female genital mutilation (FGM) greatly exceeded the threshold required for asylum eligibility, but remanded re whether her parents could derivatively qualify for asylum. (Abebe v. Gonzales, 12/30/05)