U.S. Department
of Justice
1.3 - Composition of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge
(a) General – The Office of the Chief Immigration Judge (OCIJ) supervises and directs the activities of the immigration courts. OCIJ operates under the supervision of the Director of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). OCIJ develops operating policies for the immigration courts, oversees policy implementation, evaluates the performance of the immigration courts, and provides overall supervision of the Immigration Judges.
(1) Chief Immigration Judge - The Chief Immigration Judge (CIJ) oversees the administration of the immigration courts and adjudication centers nationwide.
(2) Principal Deputy Chief Immigration Judge - The Principal Deputy Chief Immigration Judge (PDCIJ) assists the CIJ in overseeing the administration of the immigration courts and adjudication centers throughout the country and supervises the Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judges.
(3) Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judges - The Regional Deputy Chief Immigration Judges (RDCIJs) assist the PDCIJ or CIJ in carrying out the responsibilities of that office and are responsible for daily supervision of the Assistant Chief Immigration Judges (ACIJs) within the RDCIJs’ assigned geographical regions.
(4) Assistant Chief Immigration Judges - The ACIJs oversee the operations of specific immigration courts and adjudication centers. A listing of the immigration courts and adjudication centers overseen by each ACIJ and assigned areas of responsibility is available on the EOIR website.
(5) Legal Staff: Chief Counsel and Attorney Advisors/Judicial Law Clerks - OCIJ has a sizable legal staff, which includes a chief counsel, attorneys at the OCIJ headquarters, and permanent and term attorney advisors and judicial law clerks (JLC) at the immigration courts nationwide. The legal staff supports the CIJ, PDCIJ, RDCIJs, ACIJs, and Immigration Judges.
(6) Language Services Unit - The Language Services Unit (LSU) oversees staff interpreters and contract interpreters at the immigration courts. The LSU conducts quality assurance programs for all interpreters.
(b) Immigration Courts - EOIR employs Immigration Judges and professional staff in the immigration courts nationwide. As a general matter, Immigration Judges determine removability and adjudicate applications for relief or protection from removal. For the specific duties of Immigration Judges, see Chapter 1.4 (Jurisdiction and Authority). Immigration Judge decisions are final unless timely appealed or certified to the BIA. See Chapter 6 (Appeals of Immigration Judge Decisions).
Court administrators are assigned to the local office of each immigration court. Under the supervision of an Assistant Chief Immigration Judge, the court administrator manages the daily activities of the immigration court and supervises staff interpreters, legal assistants, and clerical and technical employees. In each immigration court, the Court Administrator serves as the liaison with the local office of the Department of Homeland Security, the private bar, and nonprofit organizations that represent aliens.
A listing of the immigration courts is available on the Executive Office for Immigration Review website at www.justice.gov/eoir.
(c) Immigration Judge Conduct and Professionalism – Immigration Judges strive to act honorably, fairly, and in accordance with the highest ethical standards, thereby ensuring public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of immigration court proceedings. Alleged misconduct by Immigration Judges is taken seriously by the Department of Justice and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, especially if it impugns the integrity of the hearing process.
Usually, when a disagreement arises with an Immigration Judge’s ruling, the disagreement is properly raised in a motion to the Immigration Judge or an appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals. When a party has an immediate concern regarding an Immigration Judge’s conduct that is not appropriate for a motion or appeal, the concern should be raised with the Judicial Conduct and Professionalism Unit (JCPU), within the Office of the Director, by email to judicial.conduct@usdoj.gov or by mail to:
Executive Office for Immigration Review
attn: Judicial Conduct and Professionalism Unit
5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2600
Falls Church, VA 2241
Where appropriate, concerns may also be raised with the Department of Justice, Office of Professional Responsibility. All concerns, and any actions taken, may be considered confidential and not subject to disclosure.