Houston Immigration Court

The Houston Immigration Court falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Chief Immigration Judge, which is a component of the Executive Office for Immigration Review under the Department of Justice.

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 the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR).

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

News Media/Congressional Inquiries: News media and congressional inquiries regarding the immigration court must be directed to the EOIR Communications and Legislative Affairs Division:

Communications and Legislative Affairs Division
5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 1902
Falls Church, VA 22041
703-305-0289 (phone)
703-605-0365 (fax)
PAO.EOIR@usdoj.gov

ADDRESS:

Continental Center II
1801 Smith Street, 9th Floor
Houston, TX 77002

Please see Google Maps for a map and directions to the immigration court.

Mickey Leland Federal Building
1919 Smith Street, 6th Floor
Houston, TX 77002

Please see Google Maps for a map and directions to the immigration court.

HOURS:

Public Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Monday - Thursday), 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Friday)

Phone:

1801 Smith Street: 713-718-3870
1919 Smith Street, 6^th floor: 713-751-1514 1919
1919 Smith Street, 14^th floor: 713-751-1500

The immigration court does not accept faxes, unless  immigration court staff or the immigration judge specifically requests one. 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 and public transit information:

Public parking is available for a fee.

Provide Building access and security information.

Lobby Entrance:

1801 Smith Street – The lobby is located at the street-level. There are two elevator banks. The elevator banks that are furthest from staircase will take visitors to the court located on the 9^th floor. All visitors attending court must proceed through security upon exiting the elevators.

1919 Smith Street - The lobby is located at the street-level. All visitors must pass through security prior to continuing on to the elevators. There are two elevator banks. One set of elevators will take visitors to the 6^th floor and the other set will take visitors to the 14^th floor.

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. Shoes may be required to be removed, if needed. Food and drinks are not allowed.

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

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IMMIGRATION COURT STAFF:

Immigration Judges:

Court Administrator:

Melba Bennett

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IMMIGRATION COURT PROCEDURES:

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

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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 (Houston).
• 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.

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