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Immigration Court Practice Manual

Immigration Court Practice Manual
Chapter 1 - The Immigration Court

1.6 - Inquiries

(a) Generally

All inquiries to an immigration court must contain or provide the following information for each respondent:

  • Complete name (as it appears on the charging document)
  • A-number
  • Type of proceeding (removal, deportation, exclusion, bond, etc.)
  • Date of the upcoming master calendar or individual calendar hearing
  • The completion date, if the court proceedings have been completed

See also Chapter 3.3(c)(6) (Cover page and caption), Appendix E (Cover Pages). 

(b) Press Inquiries

All inquiries from the press should be directed to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, Office of Policy, Communications and Legislative Affairs Division.  For contact information, see Appendix A (Directory).

(c) Automated Case Information Hotline

The Automated Case Information Hotline provides information about the status of cases before an immigration court or the Board of Immigration Appeals.  See Appendix A (Directory), Appendix H (Hotlines).  The Automated Case Information Hotline contains a telephone menu (in English and Spanish) covering most kinds of cases.  The caller must enter the A-number of the noncitizen involved.  A-numbers have nine digits (e.g., A 234 567 890).  Formerly, A-numbers had eight digits (e.g., A 12 345 678).  In the case of an eight-digit A-number, the caller should enter a “0” before the A-number (e.g., A 012 345 678).

     (1) Immigration court - The Automated Case Information Hotline contains information regarding:

  • The next hearing date, time, and location
  • In asylum cases, the elapsed time and status of the asylum EAD clock
  • Immigration judge decisions

The Automated Case Information Hotline does not contain information regarding:

  • Bond proceedings
  • Motions

     (2) Additional inquiries - Inquiries that cannot be answered by the Automated Case Information Hotline may be directed to the immigration court in which the proceedings are pending or to the appropriate administrative control court.  See Chapter 3.1(a)(1) (Administrative control courts).  Callers must be aware that court administrators and other staff members are prohibited from providing any legal advice and that no information provided by court administrators or other staff members may be construed as legal advice.

(d) Inquiries to Immigration Court Staff

Most questions regarding immigration court proceedings can be answered through the automated telephone number, known as the Automated Case Information Hotline.  See subsection (c), above.  For other questions, telephone inquiries may be made to immigration court staff.  Collect calls are not accepted.

If a telephone inquiry cannot be answered by immigration court staff, the caller may be advised to submit an inquiry in writing, with a copy served on the opposing party.  See Appendix A (Directory).  

In addition, court administrators and other staff members cannot provide legal advice to parties.

(e) Inquiries to Specific Immigration Judges

Callers must bear in mind that immigration judges cannot engage in ex parte communications.  A party cannot speak about a case with the immigration judge when the other party is not present, and all written communications about a case must be served on the opposing party.

(f) Faxes

Immigration courts generally do not accept inquiries by fax.  See Chapter 3.1(a)(7) (Faxes). 

(g) Electronic Communications

     (1) Internet - The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) maintains a website at www.justice.gov/eoir.  See Appendix A (Directory).  The website contains information about the immigration courts, the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals, and the other components of EOIR.  It also contains newly published regulations, the Board’s precedent decisions, and a copy of this manual.  See Chapter 1.5(b) (Library and Online Resources).

     (2) Email - Immigration courts generally do not accept case-related inquiries by email. 

     (3) EOIR Courts & Appeals System (ECAS) - ECAS is a suite of EOIR web-based applications that allows attorneys and fully accredited representatives to electronically register with EOIR, access case information and hearing calendars, as well as electronically file documents and view eROPs in eligible cases.  Similarly, these web-based applications provide access for authorized DHS users.  Access to these applications is available on EOIR’s website at https://www.justice.gov/eoir/ECAS.

     (4) Electronic Registry (eRegistry) - Attorneys and fully accredited representatives who are accredited to appear before EOIR must electronically register with EOIR eRegistry through ECAS in order to practice before the immigration courts and to use ECAS.  eRegistry is the online process that is used to electronically register with EOIR.  See Chapter 2.3(b)(1) (eRegistry), 2.4 (Accredited Representatives and Recognized Organizations). 

     (5) Automated Case Information system - The Automated Case Information system (ACIS) provides information about the status of cases (in English and Spanish) before immigration judges and the Board.  The information on ACIS is similar to the information provided by telephone via the Automated Case Information Hotline.  See Chapter 1.6(c) (Automated Case Information Hotline).  Access to ACIS is available on EOIR’s website at https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/.

  (h) Emergencies and Requests to Advance Hearing Dates - If circumstances require urgent action by an immigration judge, parties should follow the procedures set forth in Chapters 5.10(b) (Motion to Advance) or 8 (Stays), as appropriate.