Executive Office for Immigration Review
Articles covering policy from Executive Office for Immigration Review. Sorted by the agency's own publication date.
Immigration Judge's Whistleblower Lawsuit: Fired 48 Hours After Raising ICE Detention Concerns
Former San Francisco immigration judge Chloe Dillon sued the Trump DOJ, alleging she was terminated in retaliation for flagging potential due process violations in ICE's detention of an unaccompanied minor. What practitioners need to know.
ACLU Sues Over Hartford Immigration Court Record Access
Connecticut ACLU filed federal lawsuit challenging Hartford Immigration Court's refusal to provide docket numbers, case captions, and removal orders, arguing the court violates the First Amendment right of public access.
DOJ Prioritizes Denaturalization Cases as Filings Surge to Record Levels
The Justice Department issued June 2025 guidance directing attorneys to prioritize denaturalization proceedings. Filings have surged dramatically, with 50 cases filed in July 2026 alone — among the highest monthly totals on record.
Federal Court Strikes Down Kansas In-State Tuition Law
A federal judge ruled that Kansas's 22-year-old law allowing in-state tuition for undocumented students violates federal immigration law, after the DOJ and state attorney general agreed to a consent decree eliminating the benefit.
Fourth Circuit Rejects Mandatory Detention Without Bond Hearings; Deep Split Among Appeals Courts
Federal appeals court joins eight others in ruling that the Trump administration's policy of holding immigrants without bond hearings violates the law. Circuit split increases likelihood of Supreme Court review.
BIA Rules That Maduro's Removal Changes Country Conditions for Venezuelan Asylum Cases
The Board of Immigration Appeals held that the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and transfer of executive authority constitute changed country conditions affecting asylum applicants' prospective fear of persecution.
Supreme Court to Decide Whether Detained Migrants Have Right to Bond Hearings
The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in Genalo v. Black, which will decide whether noncitizens subject to prolonged detention have a constitutional right to bond hearings and what standard the government must meet to justify continued detention.
Trump Administration's \"Mega Master Calendar\" Hearings Transform Miami Immigration Court Operations
The Trump administration is implementing \"mega master calendar\" hearings in Miami immigration court, dramatically increasing judges' dockets from ~36 to 100+ cases at once. Practitioners must adjust client timelines and representation strategies.
Federal Judge Blocks Trump's August 2026 Birthright Citizenship Order
U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman blocked enforcement of Trump's latest executive order restricting birthright citizenship, finding it violates the 14th Amendment and conflicts with Supreme Court precedent.
BIA Holds Immigration Judges Lack Jurisdiction Over Post-Removal Detention Bond Motions
The Board of Immigration Appeals ruled that immigration judges lack jurisdiction to adjudicate bond motions in post-removal-period detention cases, limiting custody review options.
Federal judge voids 75-country immigrant visa ban for exceeding statutory authority
A Manhattan federal court ruled the Trump administration's suspension of immigrant visa processing for 75 countries violated the Immigration and Nationality Act. Visa denials based solely on nationality are vacated; consular officers must resume individual adjudication.
Federal Judge Voids Trump's 75-Country Immigrant Visa Ban as Unlawful
A federal judge struck down the State Department's blanket suspension of immigrant visas from 75 countries, ruling it violated federal immigration law and exceeded statutory authority. Case-by-case visa adjudication must resume.
Federal judge holds ICE official in contempt for unlawful Baltimore-area arrest
U.S. District Judge John deGravelles found ICE field director Vernon Liggins in civil contempt for directing agents to rearrest an Ethiopian man despite court orders. Practitioners should understand what this contempt ruling means for habeas corpus cases and ICE's obligation to follow judicial release orders.
Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Suit Against Washtenaw County Sanctuary Policies
A Michigan federal court ruled that Washtenaw County may continue its immigration-limiting policies, finding they are protected under the Tenth Amendment and that the federal government cannot compel local enforcement cooperation.
Fourth Circuit Upholds Limits on ICE Enforcement at Eight Houses of Worship
Federal appeals court affirmed preliminary injunction requiring DHS to follow Biden-era safeguards at eight specific churches, temples, and meetinghouses during ongoing litigation over rescinded 2021 policy.
Fourth Circuit Blocks Warrantless Immigration Enforcement at Houses of Worship
A federal appeals court ruled that the Trump administration's policy allowing ICE to conduct warrantless arrests at houses of worship violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The decision applies to the plaintiffs' houses of worship.
Fourth Circuit Vacates Injunction Protecting Provisional Waiver Applicants From Arrest
The Fourth Circuit reversed a Maryland district court's class-wide injunction barring arrest and removal of I-601A provisional waiver applicants, holding that pending waiver applications do not protect applicants from ICE enforcement.
Federal court voids Illinois in-state tuition law for undocumented students
On July 24, a federal judge struck down three Illinois laws allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition and receive state financial aid, ruling the provisions preempted by federal law.
San Francisco Immigration Court Permanently Closes: What Practitioners Need to Know
The San Francisco Immigration Court has permanently closed, moving approximately 100,000 pending cases to Concord and creating significant logistical and due process challenges for practitioners and immigrants.
Federal Judge Blocks New York's Mask Ban for Federal Agents, Upholds 287(g) Prohibition
U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino partially blocked New York's 'Face Covering Act' but upheld the state's ban on local 287(g) immigration agreements. Practitioners must understand what stays blocked and what remains enforceable.
Federal Court Blocks New York's Face Covering Ban on Federal Agents
A federal judge has ruled that New York cannot ban federal law enforcement from wearing face coverings or require visible ID—citing constitutional supremacy concerns.
Federal Judge Rules 75-Country Visa Freeze Unlawful
A Washington, DC federal judge has ruled that the State Department's freeze on immigrant visa processing for 75 countries exceeds Congress's delegation of authority and violates the Immigration and Nationality Act.
7th Circuit rules interior detainees not subject to mandatory detention without bond hearing
Federal appeals court rejects government's 'seeking admission' theory for noncitizens arrested inside the U.S., entitling hundreds across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana to bond hearings under INA § 1226.
DOJ Proposes Contempt Authority for Immigration Judges: Fines Up to $3,500
EOIR proposes rule allowing immigration judges to impose civil money penalties for contempt on attorneys, clients, and witnesses. Comment deadline: September 28, 2026.
Ninth Circuit rejects Trump mandatory detention policy; Nevada and western states affected
A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the Trump administration cannot deny immigrants detained inside the U.S. a chance for release on bond, deepening a circuit split heading to the Supreme Court.
9th Circuit Rules Trump Cannot Deny Detained Immigrants Bond Hearings
A 9th Circuit panel including a Trump appointee rejected the administration's mandatory detention policy, requiring bond hearings for immigrants detained in the U.S. The ruling deepens a circuit split likely headed to the Supreme Court.
Two Appeals Courts Strike Down Trump's ICE Detention Policy in Single Day
On July 30, 2026, federal appeals courts in the Seventh Circuit and another jurisdiction rejected the Trump administration's mandatory detention policy, marking the fifth and sixth consecutive appellate losses on the issue.
Federal Judge Blocks US Marshals From Making Immigration Arrests at DC Superior Court Without Training
A DC federal judge ruled that US Marshals lack the required training and statutory authority to conduct civil immigration arrests at DC Superior Court, blocking a motion to dismiss a certified class action.
Federal Judge Blocks USCIS from Stripping TPS Holders of Work Authorization
U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton temporarily blocked USCIS from enforcing policies that would strip work permits from asylum seekers and TPS holders, citing Administrative Procedure Act violations and retroactive application of restrictions.
Federal Judge Rules Minnesota Sanctuary Laws Not Preempted by Federal Law
A U.S. District Judge has rejected the DOJ's legal challenge to Minnesota's sanctuary policies, affirming the state's authority to limit cooperation with ICE detainer requests.
Bond Hearings Stripped for Immigrants Who Entered Without Inspection
A September 2025 Board of Immigration Appeals ruling has eliminated judicial discretion to grant bond to detained immigrants who entered the country without passing through a port of entry. Practitioners must adjust client advisory and release strategies.
The 'mega masters' tactic: Mass immigration hearings inside crowded courtrooms
EOIR is rescheduling 100+ immigration cases into single dockets with minimal notice. Immigration attorneys warn this bypasses due process and generates in absentia removal orders.
Federal Judge Carves Out Constitutional Exception to Mandatory Detention for Detainee Released a Decade Ago
Iowa federal judge rules that even under Eighth Circuit mandatory detention law, constitutional due process prevents re-detention of someone released years earlier and allowed to live at liberty.
Lawsuit Challenges U.S. Sharing of Iranian Asylum Details With Tehran
Federal lawsuit alleges Trump administration violated confidentiality rules by providing Iran's government with asylum application details. Practitioners advising Iranian asylum seekers should understand the claims and monitor the case.
Federal Court Challenge Filed Against USCIS Annual Asylum Fee Policy and TPS Work Authorization Rules
A coalition of immigration organizations sued USCIS over policies that reject asylum applications and terminate work permits for nonpayment of an annual asylum fee, and restrict TPS employment authorization.
Fourth Circuit: BIA misapplied standard in reviewing immigration judge's torture grant
A Fourth Circuit decision vacates the BIA's reversal of an immigration judge's Convention Against Torture grant, finding the Board failed to apply proper clearly erroneous review to factual findings about risk of torture.
10th Circuit Rejects ICE Mass Detention Policy — Fourth Appeals Court Sides Against Trump Administration
The 10th Circuit becomes the fourth federal appeals court to reject the Trump administration's reinterpretation of immigration detention law, creating a widening circuit split as the case heads to the Supreme Court.
Supreme Court terminates TPS for Haitian and Syrian nationals
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Trump administration may end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and Syrians. Work permits and protections expire July 1, 2026. Practitioners must advise clients on remaining legal pathways.
Tenth Circuit Rejects Trump \"No Bond\" Detention Policy, Requires Individualized Hearings
Federal appeals court rules that categorical detention without bond hearings violates due process; affects immigration practitioners in six states with implications nationwide.
Supreme Court Permits Trump Administration to Revive Asylum \"Metering\" Policy
Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, clearing way for Trump administration to limit daily asylum applications at U.S.-Mexico border. What practitioners need to know.
7th Circuit vacates BIA decision for defying remand order in U visa case
Federal appeals court rejects Board of Immigration Appeals' refusal to implement prior ruling, vacates decision against Jorge Baez-Sanchez in U visa inadmissibility waiver case.
First Circuit: Equitable tolling applies when delivery service misses appeal deadline
First Circuit holds that equitable tolling permits review of immigration appeals when a guaranteed overnight delivery service fails to meet its commitment, vacating BIA dismissal of asylum seeker's late-filed appeal.
EOIR Pre-Hearing Conferences: Using Stipulations, PD, and Continuances to Reshape the Case
Pre-hearing conferences under 8 C.F.R. §1003.21 are EOIR's underused settlement and case-management tool. Used well, they narrow the issues, secure stipulations, and create space for prosecutorial discretion.
Motions to Reopen: The Number and Time Bars, and the Changed-Country-Conditions Door
INA §240(c)(7) gives a respondent one motion to reopen, filed within 90 days. The statutory exception for changed country conditions is the door that asylum, withholding, and CAT motions continue to walk through.
BIA Appeals: The 30-Day Window and What Makes a Brief Reviewable
The 30-day filing window for a BIA appeal under 8 C.F.R. §1003.38(b) is jurisdictional. The brief that follows is the case — a brief that fails to identify specific factual or legal error gets summary affirmance.
Asylum-Only Proceedings: VWP Overstays, Stowaways, and the Limits of EOIR Jurisdiction
Asylum-only proceedings are EOIR's narrow track for noncitizens who have already lost their right to a full removal hearing — VWP overstays, stowaways, certain administrative-removal respondents. The procedural rules look like removal practice; the substantive scope is much smaller.
Voluntary Departure Under INA §240B: The Pre-Conclusion vs Post-Conclusion Choice
Voluntary departure under INA §240B comes in two flavors with different time limits, bond requirements, and waiver consequences. Picking the wrong one — or missing the departure deadline — costs the client a decade of relief.
Non-LPR Cancellation Under INA §240A(b): The Ten-Year Bar and the Hardship Mountain
Non-LPR cancellation under INA §240A(b)(1) requires ten years of continuous physical presence, good moral character, no disqualifying conviction, and 'exceptional and extremely unusual hardship' to a qualifying relative. The hardship element is where most cases die.
Cancellation of Removal for LPRs Under INA §240A(a): The Seven-Five Rule and Its Quiet Traps
An LPR's path to cancellation under INA §240A(a) sounds mechanical — seven years continuous residence, five years as a green card holder, no aggravated felony. The litigation lives in the qualifiers.
Withholding of Removal Under INA §241(b)(3): The Higher Bar When Asylum Is Out of Reach
Why withholding is the fallback when the one-year deadline, bars, or discretion sink asylum — and what 'more likely than not' really requires.
The Notice to Appear After Bermudez-Cota: What an NTA Must Contain to Vest Jurisdiction
Matter of Bermudez-Cota, 27 I&N Dec. 441 (BIA 2018), narrowed Pereira's reach and salvaged jurisdiction in pending removal cases. Here is what defense counsel must still check on every NTA before pleadings.
Firearms-Offense Deportability Under §237(a)(2)(C): The 'Any Felony or Misdemeanor' Trigger and the Antique-Firearm Carve-Out
INA §237(a)(2)(C) makes a noncitizen LPR deportable for any firearms or destructive-device conviction — even a misdemeanor. Matter of Chairez-Castrejon sets the categorical analysis.
Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude After Silva-Trevino II: The Categorical Approach Is Back
The BIA's 2016 Silva-Trevino decision restored the categorical approach for CIMT determinations and rejected the realistic-probability fact-finding the AG had grafted on in 2008. Here's what that means in practice.
False Claim to U.S. Citizenship Under INA §212(a)(6)(C)(ii): The Catastrophic Ground With No General Waiver
A false claim to U.S. citizenship made on or after September 30, 1996, for any purpose or benefit under federal or state law, is a permanent inadmissibility and deportability ground — with no §212(i) waiver.
Crime of Domestic Violence Deportability Under §237(a)(2)(E): The Categorical Approach and the Domestic-Relationship Element
INA §237(a)(2)(E) makes a noncitizen LPR deportable for a single conviction of a crime of domestic violence, stalking, child abuse, or violation of a protective order. The categorical analysis is unforgiving.
CSPA 'Sought to Acquire' and Matter of O. Vazquez: What Counts Inside the One-Year Window
The BIA's holding in Matter of O. Vazquez on what it means to have 'sought to acquire' LPR status within one year of CSPA visa availability — and how USCIS now applies it.
The Frivolous-Asylum Permanent Bar Under §208(d)(6): What Counts and How To Avoid Triggering It
A finding of frivolous asylum under INA §208(d)(6) permanently bars all immigration benefits. The standard from Matter of Y-L- is procedural and substantive — both sides must be litigated.
The Petty-Offense Exception to CIMT Inadmissibility: INA §212(a)(2)(A)(ii)(II) Done Right
A single CIMT can survive inadmissibility if the maximum possible sentence was a year or less and the actual sentence was six months or less. Matter of Garcia-Hernandez sets the math.
The §212(c) Waiver After St. Cyr: A Pre-1996 Door That Is Still Open
INS v. St. Cyr held that the §212(c) waiver remains available for noncitizens whose pre-IIRIRA guilty pleas were entered when the waiver was on the books. Twenty-five years later, the doctrine still controls a narrow but real slice of removal-defense work.
Bond Redetermination After Matter of Adeniji: The Burden Is on the Detained Noncitizen
Matter of Adeniji, 22 I&N Dec. 1102 (BIA 1999), placed the burden of proof in bond redetermination on the detained noncitizen. Twenty-five years later, the doctrine still controls daily IJ practice — within the limits Congress and the Supreme Court have since drawn.
CAT Protection: When Asylum Is Barred and Torture Is the Only Argument Left
How Convention Against Torture relief works in U.S. removal proceedings — the no-bars structure, the 'acquiescence' element, and the difference between withholding and deferral.