Immigration Courts
Immigration courts play a crucial role in ensuring that immigration laws are applied fairly and consistently, providing due process to those facing removal. Learn more about issues facing the courts today and explore the actions we're taking to ensure the rights of immigrants are upheld and legal integrity is maintained.
Department of Justice Reverses Course on Legal Orientation Program for Now
Citing pushback from congressional leaders, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Executive Office for Immigration Review, part of the Department of Justice, will continue the Legal Orientation Program. Read More
Justice Department Will Not Halt Legal Orientation Program for Detained Immigrants, Reversing Course for Now
Just two weeks after the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced a suspension of the Legal Orientation Program (LOP), Attorney General Jeff Sessions testified today that DOJ will reverse course and continue the program—at least for now. The announcement was made while testifying before the Senate Appropriations… Read More
Department of Justice Ignores Its Own Evaluators’ Recommendations on Immigration Courts
A newly-released document obtained under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) shows that the Department of Justice (DOJ) is making radical changes to the immigration court system that deliberately contradict the recommendations given to the department by its own independent evaluators. The… Read More
DOJ Ignores Set of Recommendations to Strengthen Immigration Court System Efficiency and Effectiveness
In response to a Freedom of Information Act request, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Council received a partially redacted report written by Booz Allen Hamilton and commissioned by the Executive Office for Immigration Review. The comprehensive report investigated a range of immigration court issues including judicial performance reviews, Legal Orientation Programs, and procedural mechanisms, such as administrative closure, that can be used to streamline caseloads. Read More
Immigration Judge Performance Quotas FOIA Request
The American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)—the Department of Justice agency that houses the immigration courts—on December 13, 2017. The FOIA requests seek information about performance measures imposed on immigration judges,… Read More
Statement for Senate Hearing “Strengthening and Reforming America’s Immigration Court System”
The American Immigration Council submitted a written statement to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security and Immigration for an April 18, 2018 hearing on “Strengthening and Reforming America’s Immigration Court System.” The statement covers the new immigration judge quotas and performance metrics, the suspension of the Legal Orientation Program… Read More
The Justice Department Is Halting Its Legal Advice Program for Detained Immigrants
In its latest attack on due process and access to counsel in the immigration court system, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has decided to suspend its Legal Orientation Program (LOP) despite its demonstrated ability to increase efficiencies in the nation’s horribly backlogged immigration courts. Read More
DOJ Cuts Immigrants’ Access to Counsel in Latest Attack on Due Process
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), announced its intention to cancel the Legal Orientation Program (LOP) despite its immensely positive impact on judicial efficiency and fundamental fairness, and Congress’ express instruction to continue such programming, along with the provision of funding in the fiscal year 2018 appropriations bill, recently signed by the president. Read More
Immigration Judge Quotas Could Result in Assembly Line Justice
In a controversial move, the Department of Justice recently announced new case completion quotas for immigration judges. These new quotas will result in time constraints and pressure for judges to reach decisions quickly, impacting individuals’ ability to have a fair day in court. The Executive Office… Read More
DOJ Strips Immigration Courts of Independence
The Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the Department of Justice (DOJ), has instituted strict quotas as part of immigration judges' individual performance evaluations, a shift that strips away the independence held by judges who are making high stakes decisions about whether a person will be deported. Read More
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