Asking for a Remote Hearing in Immigration Court

Webex is a video call to the court. It works like zoom or facetime. In some cases, the judge lets you have a hearing by Webex instead of making you come to the court building in person.

Doing your hearing by Webex or phone can be helpful when:

• You have to travel a long way to get to the court building
• You can’t get the day off work or find childcare to go to court
• You don’t have transportation
• You are afraid that you will be arrested if you come to court

You need to file a motion and get approval from the judge. The motion is your way of asking the judge to do your hearing on Webex or by phone instead of in person. It explains to the judge why it would be hard for you to come to court in person.

To use Webex, you need a computer, phone, or other device with a stable internet connection. If your home does not have stable internet, check if you can use your local library or community center.

You may be able to use a Legal Kiosk. There are Legal Kiosks in many places in Minnesota for public use. A legal kiosk lets you use a community computer to attend your court hearing remotely. Some kiosks are more private and are better for hearings. You might need to make a reservation to use a kiosk. 

Use this link to find a legal kiosk near you: Locations - Legal Kiosk Project.

1. Download the Webex app to your phone or computer at least a day before your hearing.

• Computer: https://www.webex.com/downloads.html
• iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/webex/id833967564
• Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cisco.webex.meetings
   

2. To log in to Webex the day of you hearing, go to the EOIR website: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings. Search for the judge assigned to your case. 
    
3. When you find your judge, click on the link next to their name to access their Webex courtroom. Make sure you are muted until the judge speaks to you.

For more information, go to this site: How to Join an Immigration Webex Hearing

1. Dial 415-527-5035.
    
2. Enter the access code for your specific judge or court. You can find the access code for your judge on the EOIR website: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings. 
    
3. Make sure you mute the phone until  the judge speaks to you. 

Calling the court by Webex and by phone are both allowed. One is not better than the other. You might connect with the judge better over a video call because you can see each other. But if your internet connection is not stable, it is probably better to make a regular phone call. Choose the one that works best for you.

If your family is in court together, all family members have to be on the phone or video call. You can all be on the same computer or phone. It’s also ok for someone to join if they are in a different place. The important thing is that everyone is there.

If you already had a hearing and the judge said your children don’t have to come to court, then they don’t have to be on the call.

• Your A-Number, and the A-Numbers of family members in court with you
• The court where your case is happening
• The name of the judge in charge of your case
• The date and time of your next hearing
• If your next hearing is a “master calendar hearing” or an “individual hearing”
  • At a master calendar hearing, the judge speaks to a lot of immigrants at once. Your first court appearance will probably be a master calendar hearing. Read more about master calendar hearings here: What to Expect the First Time You Go to Immigration Court in Minnesota.
     
  • At an individual hearing, the judge hears the details of your case and usually makes a decision. 

If you are in court with your family, check all their A-Numbers too. Their court date, time, or judge might be different.

If a family member has a different court date, time, or judge, they need to file their own Motion to Appear by Webex or Phone separately.

• Using the same information you also fill out 2 other documents called “Order of the Immigration Judge” and “Proof of Service”
   
  • The “Order of the Immigration Judge” is what the judge uses to tell you their decision. If you send in this page there is less work for the Judge, and you may get the decision faster. date and time of your next hearing
     
  • The “Proof of Service” tells the court that you sent the papers to the government lawyer. It tells the judge that you are following the rules of court." 

Fill out the Motion to Appear, Order, and Proof of Service. Write your answers in English. Write dates like this: month/day/year.

• If you are in court by yourself, use the form for individuals. See attached instructions for help to fill it out.
   
• If you are in court with your family, use the form for families. See attached instructions for help to fill it out.   
   
• Make 3 copies of all the papers. Keep a set for yourself.
   
• The copies should be single-sided. Only print on one side of each sheet of paper.
   
• Send 1 copy of all the papers to the immigration court.

Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
1 Federal Drive, Suite 1850
Fort Snelling, MN 55111

If your court is in another state, check https://www.justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings to find the address. 

• Send 1 copy of all the papers to the government's lawyer. The government's lawyer works at the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA).

Office of the Principal Legal Advisor
1 Federal Drive, Suite 1800
Fort Snelling, MN 55111

If your court is in another state, you can find the OPLA address by calling the court. Tell them you are filing a motion and ask for the name and address of the OPLA office assigned to your court. Use https://www.justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings to find the court’s phone number.

Pay attention to your mail from the court.

When the judge gets the papers, they make a decision. They use the “order” to do this. The court sends it to your address. If the order is granted, that means the Judge is okay with you doing your hearing remotely. If the order is denied, you can’t do your hearing over Webex or over the phone and you must go to the court building in person.

• If you haven't gotten information in the mail, you can also check:
   
  • By Phone: Call 1-800-898-7180. Select your language, enter your A-Number, and follow the prompts to find out more about your next hearing.
     
  • By Phone: Call the court directly. Ask the person who picks up to check if your motion has been granted. Be prepared to tell them your A-number and the name of the judge for your case.
    • If your court is in Minnesota, the phone number is 612-725-3765.
    • If your court is in another state, check https://www.justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings to find the phone number.
       
  • Online: go to https://acis.eoir.justice.gov/en/ and enter your A-Number. Check if your hearing is "in person," "internet-based," or "telephonic" (by phone).