Elizabeth Immigration Court

The Elizabeth Immigration Court falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, which is a component of the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and are, therefore, separate from EOIR. For more information about those DHS offices, please see the following links:

• USCIS Asylum Office
• USCIS field office
• ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Field Office 
• ICE Office of the Chief Counsel

Address:

625 Evans Street, Room 148A
Elizabeth, NJ 07201

Hours:

• Monday - Thursday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.; 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
• Friday  8 a.m. - 12 p.m.; 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Phone:

908-787-1355

This immigration court does not accept faxes. Unauthorized transmissions are not made part of the record and are discarded without consideration of the document or notice to the sender.  Further, the only electronic submissions permitted are EOIR-28 forms unless such transmission is specifically requested.  Immigration Court Practice Manual, 3.1(a)(vii).

Parking/transit:

This immigration court is located in a Department of Homeland Security controlled detention facility. For information about the facility, including entry, please visit the Elizabeth Contract Detention Facility website.

Building access and security information:

All visitors to the immigration court must undergo a security screening through a metal detector machine as well as a handbag screening each time they visit the immigration court.

A valid government issued form of identification is required to obtain a visitor pass. Shoes may be required to be removed, if needed.

Visitors must not bring any cameras, video, or recording equipment.

IMMIGRATION COURT STAFF

Immigration Judges:
Dorothy Harbeck
Jason L. Pope
Mirlande Tadal

Court Administrator:

Paul Friedman

IMMIGRATION COURT PROCEDURES

For information regarding procedures for practice before the immigration courts, please see the Immigration Court Practice Manual.

HELPFUL LINKS

• Holidays and Emergencies: The immigration court is open Monday to Friday except for federal holidays. The Office of Personnel Management publishes a list of the observed dates of every federal holiday by year online at this link: OPM holidays. Additionally, the court may have to unexpectedly close due to inclement weather or another emergency. When necessary, information on immigration court closures or changes to the immigration court’s operating hours is available at the following links: (1) Twitter and (2) Facebook.
• eRegistry: Attorneys and accredited representatives are required to register with EOIR in order to represent aliens in immigration court. More information is available at the following link: eRegistry Notice (San Francisco).
• Pro Bono Legal Service Provider List: Information on non-profit organizations and attorneys who may be able to provide representation at no cost to the respondent and on referral organizations that refer respondents to pro bono providers is available at the Pro Bono Legal Service Provider List.
• Legal Self-Help Center: The EOIR, Office of Legal Access Programs has created numerous self-help materials with many helpful resources for respondents, including information on what to do if respondents have moved or missed a hearing.
• Notarios: EOIR warns respondents about immigration fraud perpetrated by notarios who claim to provide legal assistance but are unable to represent respondents in immigration court, provide legal services, or give legal advice. For more information, please see the following documents:
  • EOIR Notice, “Do Not Be a Victim of Immigration Fraud: ‘Notarios,’ Visa Consultants, and Immigration Consultants are NOT Attorneys – They CANNOT Represent You in Immigration Court” (July 22, 2009).
  • Fact Sheet, “EOIR’s Programs to Fight Fraud, Abuse, and Ineffective Representation in Immigration Proceedings” (March 2016).
• Appeals: Immigration court decisions are first appealable to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA). Instructions on how to file an appeal and the Appeals Form EOIR-26, Notice of Appeal from a Decision of an Immigration Judge, are available   online in the E-26 and appeal instructions. The BIA website contains more information on the appeals process and procedure.
• Virtual Law Library: The EOIR Virtual Law Library (VLL) contains many other legal resources and country conditions research resources as well as other reference materials.
• Observing court: Generally, immigration court proceedings are open to the public. An overview of when immigration court hearings might be closed as well as general guidelines for behavior when observing immigration court hearings are available at the following link: Observing Immigration Court Hearings. Note, the use of electronic devices, including audio/visual recordings of hearings and taking photographs, is prohibited in immigration court.