Immigration court from start to finish

We know a court case can feel like a storm over your whole family. You are not powerless in it. Most of the steps take time, and at almost every step you can speak, bring proof and ask for help.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. DNLH is not a law office, and we cannot represent you. Every case is different. Talk with an immigration lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative about yours. Free help is listed below.

On this page

1. What is immigration court, and who is in the room?
2. I got a Notice to Appear. What do I do first?
3. How do I check my case and keep my address current?
4. What happens at my first hearing?
5. How do I get ready for my final hearing?
6. What happens if I miss court?
7. What if I am detained? How does bond work?
8. What are the ways to ask to stay?
9. What if the government asks the judge to dismiss my case?
10. What can the judge decide?
11. How do I appeal, and what are the deadlines?
12. What happens after a final order?
13. How do I find a lawyer I can trust?
14. What changed in 2025 and 2026?
15. Where can I get free help in the Bay Area?
16. Questions people ask, Printables and Sources

What is immigration court, and who is in the room?

Immigration court is where a judge decides whether you can stay in the United States. It is not criminal court. You are not on trial for a crime. The question is whether the government can deport you, and whether you qualify for a way to stay.

The courts belong to the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), part of the U.S. Department of Justice. The people you will see:

• The immigration judge. Runs the hearing and makes the decision.
• The government lawyer. A lawyer for ICE (the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor). This lawyer argues that you should be deported. They are not on your side.
• An interpreter, if you need one. Ask for one in your best language, and name any dialect.
• You, the "respondent." And your lawyer or DOJ accredited representative, if you have one.

Your rights in court

The law gives you these rights:

• To have a lawyer, but not a free one from the government. You may hire a lawyer or use a free one, "at no expense to the Government." The court must give you a list of free legal services.
• To see the evidence against you, bring your own evidence, and question the government's witnesses.
• To appeal the judge's decision. The judge must tell you about this right if you are ordered removed.

If you do not have a lawyer, you still have the same hearing rights as someone who does. But free lawyers are hard to find, so start looking the day you get your papers. See How do I find a lawyer I can trust?

How long does it take?

There is no set time. Some cases end in a few weeks, especially for people in detention. Others take years. What matters most is that you go to every hearing and meet every deadline along the way.

For a short map of every step, see How the deportation process works, step by step.

I got a Notice to Appear. What do I do first?

Your case starts with a Notice to Appear (Form I-862, often called an NTA). The Department of Homeland Security gives it to you. Your court case officially begins when DHS files it with the immigration court. It is not a deportation order. No judge has decided anything yet.

By law, the Notice must tell you:

• What kind of case this is and the law behind it
• What the government says you did (the "allegations")
• The "charges," meaning which immigration laws the government says you broke
• That you may have a lawyer, with a list of free legal services
• That you must give the court your address and phone number, and report any change
• The time and place of your hearing, and what happens if you miss it

Your first hearing cannot be sooner than 10 days after you get the Notice, unless you ask in writing for an earlier date. That time is for you to find a lawyer.

Do this first

1. Keep it safe. Make copies. Keep the original with your important papers.
2. Write down your A number. You will need it for everything.
3. Check your case online or by phone. See the next section.
4. Check your address. If the address on the Notice is wrong, or you move, tell the court within 5 working days.
5. Call for legal help this week. Bring the Notice and every immigration paper you have.
6. Watch the calendar. Asylum is usually due within one year after you arrived in the U.S. If you are afraid to go back to your country, ask a lawyer about this right away.

What to look at with your lawyer

Is your name right? Is the A number the same one on your other papers? Are the facts in the allegations true, like your country and the date you came? Is there a date, time and court address? Mistakes can matter, but do not try to fix them alone. Point them out to your lawyer.

For more, see What a Notice to Appear means and what to do next.

How do I check my case and keep my address current?

Check your case often, and keep your address current with the court. These two habits protect you more than almost anything else.

Three free ways to check your case

• Online: Automated Case Information. Enter your A number and nationality. It shows your next hearing and recent decisions. It does not show every case or every detail, and the papers the court mails you are the official record.
• By phone: 800-898-7180 (TDD 800-828-1120). It works 24 hours a day, in English and Spanish. Have your A number ready.
• Respondent Access: an online account at respondentaccess.eoir.justice.gov where you can see your case and file some forms, like a change of address.

Check again a few days before every hearing. Bay Area cases were moved to the Concord Immigration Court in 2026, and the court sends new notices by mail. Your notice tells you where to go.

Change of address with the court

If you move or your phone number changes, file Form EOIR-33/IC within 5 working days. You can file it online in Respondent Access, in person or by mail.

• Also send a copy to the ICE lawyers (the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor) and fill in the proof of service on the form.
• Keep proof of what you filed and when.
• A change with USCIS does not count for the court. USCIS is separate. If you move, you must also tell USCIS within 10 days. See How do I tell USCIS my new address?

If the court mails a hearing notice to your old address because you did not update it, the judge can still order you deported if you miss the hearing. Don't let a move cost you your case.

What happens at my first hearing?

Your first hearing is a short group hearing called a "master calendar hearing." You will likely sit in a room with other people who also have cases that day. Many people are called in one session.

At this hearing, the judge:

• Explains your rights and the charges in plain language
• Asks whether you have a lawyer, and may give you time to find one
• Asks you to admit or deny the allegations and charges in the Notice to Appear
• Asks which country you would be sent to, if it comes to that
• Asks what you plan to apply for to stay, if anything
• Sets deadlines and the date of your next hearing

If you don't have a lawyer yet

You can ask the judge for more time to find one. The judge may ask what you have done to find help, so keep a list of who you called and when. Do not admit or deny anything you do not understand. You can say, "I want to speak with a lawyer first." See the script you can print.

What to bring

• Your Notice to Appear and your hearing notice
• Every immigration paper you have, and any court or police papers
• A list of the legal services you called
• Photo ID, if you have it
• A pen and paper to write down the next date and any deadlines

Can I go online instead?

Only if the court says so. You must appear in person unless the judge has allowed you to appear another way. If you do not have a lawyer, your hearing is in person unless the court tells you otherwise. If you are not sure, call the court.

For a step by step picture of the day, see What happens at your first immigration court hearing.

How do I get ready for my final hearing?

The final hearing, called the "individual hearing" or "merits hearing," is where the judge decides your case. It is usually just you, your lawyer, the government lawyer, the judge and the interpreter. It can last a few hours.

What happens

• You and your witnesses take an oath and testify.
• The government lawyer can ask you questions. So can the judge, at any time.
• You can object to the government's evidence and question its witnesses.
• The judge may decide that day, out loud, or decide later.

The paper deadlines

The court will tell you when to turn in your applications and proof. If you have no lawyer and your case is not detained, papers for your final hearing are due at least 15 days before it. If you are detained, the court sets the deadlines.

Any document that is not in English needs an English translation with a signed statement from the translator saying they are able to translate and that it is accurate.

How to prepare

1. Know what you are asking for. Your application (for example, asylum or cancellation of removal) is the heart of your case. A lawyer should help you choose and file it.
2. Gather proof early. Birth and marriage records, school and medical records, tax returns, letters from people who know you, police or court records, news reports about your country. Get translations.
3. Line up your witnesses. Tell them the date, time and place.
4. Practice telling your story with your lawyer, in order, with dates. Tell the truth, even about hard things. Do not guess. If you do not know, say so.
5. Plan the day. Childcare, a ride, time off work. Arrive early.

What happens if I miss court?

If you miss your hearing, the judge can order you deported without you there. This is called an "in absentia" order. If the government shows you were properly notified and that you can be deported, the judge must issue it.

That order can also:

• Block you for 10 years from voluntary departure, cancellation of removal, a green card through adjustment of status and some other changes of status
• Lead ICE to arrest you to carry it out

If you can't go on your date

Call a lawyer before the date. A lawyer can ask the judge in writing to move the hearing. Until the judge says yes, plan to go. If something sudden happens on the day, like a serious illness, get written proof and call a lawyer the same day.

If you already missed it

Act now. A lawyer can ask the judge to cancel the order and reopen your case. This is a "motion to reopen."

The law says less serious reasons do not count. Let a lawyer judge your reason, and do it fast. A motion to reopen for lack of notice or custody has no filing fee.

What if I am afraid of being arrested at court?

Go anyway. Missing court is far riskier. In 2026, two federal judges struck down the 2025 policies that allowed wide arrests at immigration courts. The government may appeal. Make a plan before your date: save a lawyer's number on paper, bring a trusted adult, and set up care for your children. See Make a family preparedness plan and Can ICE arrest me at a courthouse, hospital or church?

More detail is in Do I have to go to immigration court?

What if I am detained? How does bond work?

Many people in detention can ask an immigration judge to let them out on bond while their case goes on. Some cannot, and that question is in the courts right now. Talk to a lawyer the same day someone is detained.

First, find the person

Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator with the A number and country of birth. It can be several hours behind. See How to find a family member detained by ICE. If a child is detained, the ICE locator will not show them.

How bond works

• ICE may set a bond first, or keep the person with no bond.
• The detained person can ask an immigration judge for a bond hearing. The judge looks at whether the person is a danger and whether they will come back to court.
• When bond is allowed, the law sets the minimum at $1,500. Judges often set much more.
• Bring proof for the bond hearing: a fixed address, family ties, letters of support, a job, years in the U.S., and a plan to come to every hearing.
• A bond decision can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. There is no fee for a bond appeal, and the Board must receive it within the same 30 days as other appeals. See If the judge denies bond.

Who may not get a bond hearing

• People with certain criminal records. The law requires ICE to hold many people with certain convictions. Since January 2025 (the Laken Riley Act) this also covers some people who entered without permission or have no valid entry papers and who are charged with, arrested for, convicted of or admit to crimes like theft, burglary, shoplifting, assaulting an officer, or a crime that caused death or serious injury.
• People who entered without inspection. Since 2025, the government has said that people who entered without permission must be held with no bond, even if they have lived here for years. On July 30, 2026, the federal appeals court that covers California (the Ninth Circuit) disagreed. It ruled that people who entered without permission and were later arrested inside the country fall under the law that allows bond hearings. Other appeals courts have ruled the other way. On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to decide this question. Until it does, ask a lawyer what applies to you.
• People in fast deportation (expedited removal) or with an old deportation order.

How to pay a bond

ICE takes bond payments through its online system, CeBONDS, by bank transfer (Fedwire or ACH). The person who pays (the "obligor") must generally be a U.S. citizen or green card holder with ID, or a law firm or nonprofit. If you do not have a bank account, ICE says to use a certified bond company or a community organization. ICE may help people who come in person case by case, so call the nearest ICE field office first. The San Francisco Field Office is at 630 Sansome Street, (415) 365-8800.

The bond stays in place until ICE cancels it. If the person misses court or breaks the terms, the money can be lost. Keep every paper ICE gives you.

If a judge denies bond

A lawyer may be able to challenge the detention in federal court. See When a judge denies bond and How to get someone out of immigration detention on bond. For money and family help, see Emergency money help when a family member is detained and How to visit, call and send money to someone in ICE detention.

What are the ways to ask to stay?

The judge can only let you stay if you qualify for a form of "relief," or if the government cannot prove its case. Each kind of relief has its own rules, forms, fees and deadlines. A lawyer should screen you for all of them. Here are the main ones, in plain words.

Fight the charges

You can deny the allegations and charges. The government must prove them. Sometimes the government cannot.

Asylum

For people afraid to go back because they were harmed, or fear harm, because of their race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. You can apply no matter how you entered or what your status is. It is usually due within one year after you arrived, with some exceptions for changed or extraordinary circumstances. You can ask for a work permit after your application has been pending for a while; the law says not before 180 days. See Who can apply for asylum and The one year deadline.

Withholding of removal and protection from torture

If asylum is barred, two other kinds of protection may still keep you from being sent to a country where you would be in danger:

• Withholding of removal: you must show it is more likely than not your life or freedom would be threatened there for one of the same reasons as asylum.
• Protection under the Convention Against Torture: you must show it is more likely than not you would be tortured there.

These protect you from being sent to that country. They do not lead to a green card. See Protection if you fear torture when sent back.

Cancellation of removal

• For green card holders: at least 5 years as a permanent resident, 7 years living here after being admitted, and no aggravated felony conviction. See Can a green card holder be deported?
• For people without a green card: at least 10 years in the U.S. without a break, good moral character, no disqualifying convictions, and proof that your deportation would cause "exceptional and extremely unusual hardship" to your U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse, parent or child. Only 4,000 can be granted each year. The 10 years usually stop counting when you get the Notice to Appear. See Cancellation of removal.
• For survivors of abuse by a U.S. citizen or green card holder spouse or parent, a special rule needs 3 years.

A green card through family

Some people can get a green card in court through a close family member who is a U.S. citizen or green card holder. How you entered matters a lot. A lawyer must check this.

Other paths a lawyer may find

• U visa for victims of certain crimes who helped police. See What is a U visa? and Applying for a U visa or VAWA while in immigration court.
• VAWA for survivors of abuse by a U.S. citizen or green card holder family member.
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for some children and young people who were abused, neglected or abandoned by a parent. See What is SIJS?
• TPS if your country is designated. See Which countries have TPS now.

Voluntary departure

This is not a way to stay. It is a way to leave on your own, which can make it easier to come back legally someday than a deportation order would.

• Early in the case: up to 120 days to leave.
• At the end of the case: up to 60 days, if you have been here at least 1 year before the Notice, had good moral character for 5 years, can prove you have the money and plan to leave, and pay a bond.
• If you agree and then do not leave on time, you face a fine of $1,000 to $5,000 and a 10 year bar from many kinds of relief.

Never agree to leave without talking to a lawyer first. See Thinking about leaving the US on your own?

Fees for applications

Since July 2025, a federal law added new fees to many court filings, and they rise with inflation each year. For filings on or after October 1, 2026, the court lists these amounts (91 FR 54211 and 91 FR 61447):

Biometrics fees are separate. The court's July 2025 policy memo names the asylum fees and the TPS fee as fees that cannot be waived. For the others, a judge decides each waiver request. Since February 23, 2026, the court takes these fees only by electronic payment through the EOIR Payment Portal, not by check or money order. See New immigration court and asylum fees in 2026.

What if the government asks the judge to dismiss my case?

A dismissal can sound like good news. It may not be. Starting in May 2025, ICE lawyers began asking judges, often out loud in the hearing, to dismiss cases so ICE could put people into fast deportation (expedited removal) instead. In fast deportation, there is no judge and far fewer protections.

What to do:

• Do not agree to dismissal without a lawyer. You can tell the judge, "I do not agree. I want time to talk to a lawyer and respond in writing."
• If you are afraid to go back to your country, say so. Say it out loud, to the judge and to any officer, every time.
• Have a plan for the day. Bring a trusted adult and have your family's emergency plan ready.

Since June 23, 2026, when a federal appeals court lifted the order that had paused the expansion, ICE can use fast deportation anywhere in the country on people who cannot show they have been here two years. Keep proof of how long you have lived here, like leases, pay stubs, school or medical records. See Can I be deported without seeing a judge? and Papers that show how long you have lived here.

What can the judge decide?

At the end, the judge will do one of these:

• Grant relief, so you can stay (for example, asylum, cancellation of removal or a green card)
• End or close the case without a deportation order
• Grant voluntary departure, with a date to leave
• Order you removed (deported)

The judge may decide that day, out loud, or send a written decision later. If the decision is oral, you get a short written order. Keep it. Either side can appeal: you, or the government.

If the judge orders you removed, the judge must tell you about your right to appeal. The clock starts that day. Call your lawyer before you leave the building if you can.

How do I appeal, and what are the deadlines?

You can appeal a judge's decision to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). The deadline is 30 days, and the Board must receive your appeal by then. Mailing it on day 30 is too late.

The appeal, step by step

1. Talk to a lawyer the same day you get the decision.
2. File Form EOIR-26, Notice of Appeal, so the Board receives it within 30 calendar days of the judge's oral decision or the date the written decision was mailed. The same 30 days applies if you are detained.
3. Pay the fee: $1,060 (bond appeals have no fee). If you cannot pay, you can ask for a fee waiver with Form EOIR-26A. If the waiver is denied, you get 15 days to fix it.
4. Say exactly why the judge was wrong. Be specific in the Notice of Appeal. A vague appeal can be dismissed.
5. Watch for the briefing schedule from the Board and meet it.

The Board cannot extend the 30 days. If you miss it because of something extraordinary that was not your fault, a lawyer may ask the Board to accept a late appeal. That is hard to win.

Asking the judge to look again

• Motion to reconsider: you say the judge made a legal or factual mistake. Generally one motion, within 30 days of the final order.
• Motion to reopen: you bring new facts or evidence. Generally one motion, within 90 days of the final order. There are exceptions, like asylum based on changed conditions in your country, or a missed hearing (see above).
• Fees: $1,095 before the judge and $1,060 before the Board, with a lower $950 fee in some cases and no fee for some missed hearing motions.

See Can I reopen my deportation case?

After the Board

If the Board rules against you, you can ask a federal court of appeals to review it. The petition is due 30 days after the final order. For Bay Area cases, that is the Ninth Circuit. Filing does not stop a deportation by itself; your lawyer must ask the court for a stay.

See How to appeal an immigration judge decision under the 2026 rules.

What happens after a final order?

Once an order is final, ICE can carry it out. The law gives ICE a 90 day "removal period" after the order becomes final, and ICE must hold many people during that time.

What this means for you:

• Get legal advice right away. A lawyer can check whether a motion, an appeal, a stay or another path is still open.
• ICE may ask you to check in, wear an ankle monitor or report on a schedule. Go to every check in. See ICE check ins and ankle monitors.
• Make your family plan now. Who cares for the children, who can reach your money and papers. See Make a family preparedness plan and Make a family money plan.
• Do not come back without permission after a deportation. If you return without permission, the old order can be "reinstated" with no new hearing, and it cannot be reopened.

If you are thinking about leaving, read Before you leave the United States and talk to a lawyer first.

How do I find a lawyer I can trust?

Only a licensed lawyer or a DOJ accredited representative may give you immigration legal advice or represent you in court. A notario, a consultant or a friend who "knows the system" cannot.

Where to look

1. Free legal services near you. Start with the Bay Area list below.
2. The court's own list. The List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers shows free services for each court. Bay Area cases are under Concord. The government does not endorse them, and they may be full, so call several.
3. Search tools. ImmigrationLawHelp.org lets you search by zip code or detention center.

How to check them

• Lawyers: look them up on the State Bar of California attorney search or call 800-843-9053. Lawyers from other states can practice immigration law; check their own state bar.
• Accredited representatives: check the DOJ recognition and accreditation roster. They must work through a recognized nonprofit. Only those with full accreditation can appear in immigration court.
• Disciplined lawyers: check EOIR's list of currently disciplined practitioners.

What to ask and expect

• Get a written fee agreement if fees will be more than $1,000. California law requires it.
• Do not pay in cash if you can avoid it, and get receipts.
• Ask who will go to court with you, and how to reach them.
• Never sign a blank form or a form with false information.
• Anyone who promises a result, or says they have special contacts, is a warning sign.

See How to find a trusted lawyer, What to bring to your first meeting with an immigration lawyer and Warning signs of an immigration scam. If your lawyer made serious mistakes, see What to do if your immigration lawyer lost their license or made serious mistakes.

What changed in 2025 and 2026?

The rules moved fast. Here is what we confirmed on October 19 and 21, 2026. If you read older advice, check it against this list.

• New fees (July 2025). A federal law signed July 4, 2025 added fees to many court filings. Today an appeal costs $1,060, a motion to reopen before a judge costs $1,095, and the annual asylum fee is $105 with no waiver. Since February 23, 2026, the court takes fees only by electronic payment.
• Dismissals to fast deportation (May 2025). ICE lawyers began asking judges to dismiss cases so people could be put into expedited removal.
• Bond fight (2025 to now). The government has held people who entered without permission with no bond. The Ninth Circuit rejected that on July 30, 2026, and the Supreme Court agreed on October 1, 2026 to decide the question.
• Appeal deadline (2026). A February 2026 rule tried to cut the appeal deadline to 10 days. A court threw that part out on March 8, 2026, and EOIR confirmed the 30 day deadline on March 13, 2026. Some other parts of that rule were also blocked. The government may try again.
• Courthouse arrests (2026). A federal judge in San Jose (June 23, 2026, order) and one in New York (ruling dated September 30, 2026, announced October 1, 2026, per the ACLU) struck down the 2025 policies that allowed wide arrests at immigration courts. The government may appeal, so ask a lawyer before your date whether either ruling has changed.
• Fast deportation everywhere (June 2026). Since June 23, 2026, when the appeals court lifted the order that had paused the expansion (Make the Road New York v. Mullin), ICE can use expedited removal anywhere in the country on people who cannot show two years here. The challengers asked the full D.C. Circuit to rehear the case on July 27, 2026; no ruling was reported as of October 21, 2026.
• San Francisco court closed (September 2026). EOIR closed the San Francisco Immigration Court at the end of the day on September 4, 2026. Its cases moved to the Concord Immigration Court. The Sansome Street building in San Francisco became a hearing location run by Concord, and EOIR sends new hearing notices. Read yours closely for the place.
• New address form (February 2026). Use the February 2026 version of Form EOIR-33/IC.

What has not changed: you still have the right to a lawyer at your own cost, the right to see the evidence, the right to an interpreter, and the right to appeal. And going to every hearing is still the most important thing you can do.

Where can I get free help in the Bay Area?

Start with a free nonprofit, not a notario. These are free or low cost nonprofits and public offices. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

East Palo Alto and San Mateo County

• Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA): 650-326-6440. Deportation defense in court or detention for people with low income in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1861 Bay Road, East Palo Alto.
• Catholic Charities San Francisco, immigration services (serves San Mateo County): (650) 285-6451
• San Mateo County Immigrant Services: (650) 363-4194, to help you find where to start
• San Mateo County rapid response hotline, if agents are near you or someone was just detained: (203) 666-4472, 24 hours

Santa Clara County

• Asian Law Alliance (San Jose): (408) 287-9710
• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County: (408) 468-0100
• SIREN: removal defense line (559) 840-0005
• Pangea Legal Services: deportation defense, (415) 254-0475, San Jose office
• Santa Clara County removal defense list: Office of Immigrant Relations
• Santa Clara County rapid response line: (408) 290-1144

For any Bay Area court case

• Free lawyers for your court: DOJ List of Pro Bono Legal Service Providers, Concord section
• Concord Immigration Court: 925-680-9015, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., for questions about your hearing date and place

More choices are on Free or low cost immigration legal help in the Bay Area. If you need food, rent or other help while you wait, call 211.

When you call, say: "I have a case in immigration court. My A number is ____. My next hearing is on ____. I need help with ____."

Questions people ask

Do I have to go to immigration court? Yes, to every hearing, unless the judge excused you in writing. If you miss it, you can be ordered deported without being there. See Do I have to go to immigration court? What happens if I miss my hearing

What happens if I miss my hearing? The judge can order you deported, and you can lose some ways to stay for 10 years. You may be able to reopen the case, within 180 days for serious reasons or at any time if you never got notice. See Do I have to go to immigration court? What happens if I miss my hearing

Will the court give me a free lawyer? No. You have the right to a lawyer, but not at the government's cost. The court gives you a list of free services. Call several, early.

Can I bring my own interpreter? Ask the court for an interpreter in your language. The court arranges interpreters, and every court interpreter takes an oath to interpret accurately. Ask for one at your first hearing, and name your language and any dialect.

I moved. Is telling USCIS enough? No. Tell the court within 5 working days on Form EOIR-33/IC, and tell USCIS within 10 days. They are separate. See How do I tell USCIS my new address?

Can ICE arrest me at court? In 2026, federal judges struck down the 2025 courthouse arrest policies, but the government may appeal. Go to court anyway, with a plan. See Can ICE arrest me at a courthouse, hospital or church?

How much is bond? When bond is allowed, the law sets the minimum at $1,500. The judge decides the amount. Bond appeals are free.

How long do I have to appeal? 30 days. The Board must receive your appeal by then. See How to appeal an immigration judge decision under the 2026 rules

Is it true the appeal deadline is now 10 days? No. A court threw out the 10 day rule on March 8, 2026, and EOIR confirmed the deadline is 30 days for most appeals.

What new fees apply to my case? Many filings now have fees, like $1,060 for an appeal and $105 a year while an asylum case is pending. See New immigration court and asylum fees in 2026

Can I apply for asylum in court? Yes. You file it with the immigration court, usually within one year after you arrived, with some exceptions. See Who can apply for asylum and how do I start?

The government lawyer asked to dismiss my case. Should I say yes? Not without a lawyer. A dismissal can be used to put you in fast deportation. Ask for time to respond in writing.

My family member was detained. How do I find them? Use the ICE Online Detainee Locator with their A number and country of birth. See How to find a family member detained by ICE

How do I know a lawyer is real? Check the State Bar or the DOJ accreditation roster before you pay. See How to find an immigration lawyer or accredited representative you can trust and Warning signs of an immigration scam

I was just placed in deportation proceedings. What can I do? Check your case, keep your address current, find a lawyer, and get screened for every kind of relief. See How the deportation process works, step by step

My court case tracker

Print this and keep it with your papers. Fill it in after every hearing.

What to say at your first hearing

You can read these lines out loud if you do not have a lawyer yet. They are not legal advice. A lawyer may tell you something different for your case.

Every hearing you go to keeps your case alive. Every paper you file on time keeps a door open. Take one step today, and lean on the people and the help around you.