-> This article is part of Documented’s Glossary. We want to make it easier to understand the U.S. immigration system. If you want to know more about different visa types and immigration terms, please check our library here.
-> To find useful information for immigrants, such as where to find free food or legal representation, check out our master resource guide.
Created in 1983, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) oversees all immigration courts nationwide, as well as immigration decision appeals and immigration-related employment cases. EOIR is under the authority of the Department of Justice and the attorney general, and is responsible for interpreting and administering federal immigration laws through immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings.
EOIR is comprised of 58 administrative immigration courts located throughout the United States and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), an administrative appellate body. Immigration judges conduct removal hearings and decide whether or not a noncitizen can remain in the United States.
The Executive Office for Immigration Review consists of three components: the Office of Chief Immigration Judge, which is responsible for managing all immigration courts nationwide; The Board of Immigration Appeals, which primarily conducts appellate reviews of immigration judge decisions; and the Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Office, which adjudicates immigration-related employment cases. As head of the Department of Justice, the U.S. attorney general is the EOIR’s highest ranked official and is therefore empowered to “issue regulations as deemed necessary or appropriate.”
Important Links for the Executive Office for Immigration Review:
Executive Office for Immigration Review: An Agency Guide : A fact sheet from the EOIR that defines important terms related to the immigration courts.
List of Immigration Courts listed by State and City : This website has the information of all the immigration courts nationwide, the addresses, immigration judges, court administrators, and phone numbers.
EOIR Facebook Page : The agency’s Facebook page provides daily updates regarding closings and other information regarding immigration courts nationwide.
Also read: Pro-Bono Lawyers And Free Legal Immigration Services in New York
