Information About Immigration Courts

Giving You the Resources to Understand Immigration Courts and Prison Systems

Navigating removal proceedings can be extremely stressful, especially if this is your first time dealing with the immigration court or removal process. At The Law Office of Rosina C. Stambaugh, we want to help you and your loved ones manage removal proceedings as easily and painlessly as possible.

That includes giving you the resources for the major institutions and agencies you will likely need to interact with throughout your case.

Immigration Removal Process

• To understand the removal process, one must understand the agencies involved. The immigration court and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) are part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which is part of the Department of Justice. The Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are part of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The DHS initiates removal proceedings against non-citizens. Removal proceedings are the process in which the DHS attempts to remove non-citizens from the U.S. or prohibit a non-citizen from entering the U.S. The process commences with the service of a Notice to Appear (NTA) by the DHS. Once the NTA has been served on the Immigration Court, the individual will receive a hearing notice. Some individuals are detained while going through proceedings, and some are not. If you or someone you know has been detained…(link to our detained page) If an individual fails to appear at a hearing, the court can issue a removal order against him or her.
• A non-citizen will then receive a hearing notice. This will be for a Master Calendar Hearings (MCH), which are preliminary hearings. Once an application for relief from removal is filed, an individual will be scheduled for a Merits Hearing, also known as an Individual hearing. At the Merits hearing, the immigration judge (IJ) will make a determination on the case. The individual has the opportunity to appeal to the BIA if he or she does not agree with the judge’s decision.
• Individuals appearing before the Immigration court may be eligible to apply to remain in the United States. Contact The Law Office of Rosina C. Stambaugh to determine if you are eligible.
• Individuals can check the status of their case by calling the Alien Number Hotline (A# hotline) 1-800-898-7180 or https://portal.eoir.justice.gov/InfoSystem/Form?Language=EN

Immigration Courts

If you are served with a Notice to Appear and are located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, or Delaware, there are reasonable odds you will at some point be appearing in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh Immigration Court.

Philadelphia Immigration Court:

• Physical Address: 900 Market Street, Suite 504, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (Resides within the Robert Nix Federal Building and Courthouse)
• Hours: 8:00 AM and 3:00 PM, local time
• Contact Number: 215-717-2400
• Website: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/philadelphia-pa

Ohio Immigration Court:

• Physical Address: 801 W. Superior Avenue, Suite 13 – 100, Cleveland, OH 44113
• Hours: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Window Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
• Contact Number: 216-802-1100
• Website: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/cleveland-immigration-court

Baltimore Immigration Court:

• Physical Address: George Fallon Federal Building, 31 Hopkins Plaza, Rm. 440, Baltimore, MD 21201
• Window Hours: 7:45 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• Phone Hours: 8 a.m. – 4 p.m
• Contact Number: 410-962-3092
• Website: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/baltimore-immigration-court

Locate Your Immigration Court

If you are served with a notice to appear and do not live in one of the states listed above, you can locate your local immigration court here: Immigration Court Listing

If you cannot contact your loved one and fear they have been detained, you should immediately utilize the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE) detainee locator.

While The Law Office of Rosina C. Stambaugh is located in Pennsylvania, Attorney Stambaugh can practice federal immigration in all states in the United States.

If you have additional questions about prison or court systems, or if you need immediate legal assistance with a loved one facing deportation, we encourage you to call 717-900-1818 or contact us online.

Immigration Courts FAQ