1.5 - Public Access

(a) Office Location — The Board of Immigration Appeals (Board) is located in Falls Church, Virginia, which is within the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area.  With the specific exceptions made for the public information window, and on appropriate occasions the Oral Argument Room, access to Board facilities is limited to authorized personnel.

(b) Library — 

          (1) Law Library and Immigration Research Center — EOIR maintains a Law Library and Immigration Research Center (LLIRC) at 5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 1800, Falls Church, Virginia 22041.  The library is located on the eighteenth floor of Skyline Tower of the Skyline complex.  The library maintains select sources of immigration law, including Board decisions, federal statutes and regulations, federal case reporters, immigration law treatises, and various secondary source materials.  The LLIRC serves the Board and the component agencies of EOIR but is also open to the public.  For hours, directions, and collection information, contact the library at (703) 605-1103 or visit EOIR’s Internet site.  See Appendix A (Directory).

The LLIRC is not a lending library, and all materials must be viewed on the premises.  While library staff may assist patrons in locating materials, library staff is not available for research assistance.  Library staff may not provide legal advice or guidance regarding filing, procedures, or follow-up for matters before the Board or the immigration courts. Library staff may, however, provide guidance in locating published decisions of the Board.  The LLIRC does not accept any filings for any individual proceedings.  See Chapter 3 (Filing with the Board).  Limited self-service photocopying is available in the library.  Smoking is prohibited.

          (2) Virtual Law Library — The LLIRC also maintains a “Virtual Law Library” accessible at EOIR’s website.  The Virtual Law Library serves as a comprehensive repository of immigration-related law and information for use by practitioners and the general public.

(c) Immigration Court Online Resource (ICOR) — The Immigration Court Online Resource (ICOR) is a web-based application available on EOIR’s website that provides a centralized location for information and resources about immigration proceedings before EOIR.  ICOR does not contain information regarding appeals from decisions made by DHS officers.  See Chapter 1.4(a) (Jurisdiction).

(d) Oral Argument — The public may attend oral argument under certain circumstances.  See Chapter 8 (Oral Argument).

(e) Records — 

          (1) Inspection by parties — Parties to a proceeding, and their practitioners of record, may inspect the official records of proceedings.  A FOIA request is not required.  Inspection by prior arrangement with the Board Clerk’s Office is strongly recommended to ensure that the official record of proceedings is immediately available.  Parties to a proceeding before the Board may request inspection by calling the BIA Clerk’s Office.  See Appendix A (Directory).  Parties may review all portions of the record that are not prohibited (e.g., classified information, documents under a protective order).  EOIR prohibits the removal of official records by parties or other persons from EOIR-controlled spaces. 

          (2) Inspection by non-parties — Persons or entities who are not party to a proceeding must file a request for information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with EOIR’s Office of the General Counsel.  See Chapter 13 (Requesting Records).  The Clerk’s Office may not permit non-parties to inspect the record or any part thereof.

          (3) Copies for parties —  The Board does not automatically provide a copy of the official record of proceedings to the parties to the proceedings upon the filing of an appeal or motion.  The Clerk’s Office will provide copies of the official record of proceedings to parties and their practitioners of record upon request.  A FOIA request is not required.  Parties may obtain a copy of all portions of the record that are not prohibited (e.g., classified information, documents under a protective order).  Requests for copies of the official record of proceedings may be made to the BIA in person, by mail, or by email.  The Board encourages parties to request a copy by email using “EOIR.BIA.ROP.Requests@usdoj.gov”.  This email address is only to be used for requests for a copy of the official record.  The Board does not provide self-service copying.  Alternatively, the parties may file a request pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).  See Chapter 13 (Requesting Records). 

          (4) Copies for non-parties — The Clerk’s Office will not provide non-parties with copies of any official record, whether in whole or in part.  Non-parties must file a request for information pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) with EOIR’s Office of the General Counsel.  See Chapter 13 (Requesting Records).

          (5) Confidentiality — The Board must balance the public’s need for information with the protection of persons who appear before the Board.  The Board takes special precautions to ensure the confidentiality of cases involving asylum applicants, battered noncitizen spouses and children, exclusion proceedings, and classified information.

          (6) Electronic records — For cases with electronic records of proceedings (eROPs), eligible parties may view and download the eROP through ECAS, except any restricted portion of the record (e.g., classified information or information subject to a protective order).