COVID-19: Changes for Immigration Cases with Immigration Court, USCIS, and ICE During the Pandemic

Most immigration courts are still open, but some hearings are cancelled. Right now, all courts have cancelled ‘non-detained master calendar’ hearings between March 16 – April 10. If your hearing is cancelled, they will reschedule it later.

You can see a daily update at the immigration courts website. Updates are listed by court location: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/eoir-operational-status-during-coronavirus-pandemic.

The court is also posting updates on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/doj.eoir/

A master calendar hearing is the first short hearing when your longer, individual case is scheduled. It might say on your hearing notice. Non-detained means that you are not in immigration detention.

You can check on your hearing by calling the court hotline at 1-800-898-7180 or online: https://portal.eoir.justice.gov/InfoSystem/Form?Language=EN. To find your hearing, you need your “A Number” which is a 9-digit number, starting with the letter A. It is on your immigration papers. It might look like: A208-000-000.  

When you call or look online it should say if you have a master calendar hearing or an individual hearing scheduled. If you are scheduled between March 16 to April 10, your hearing is probably postponed. You will be rescheduled. They are trying to update the schedules on the phone system and online but it’s going to take a while. If you are scheduled farther out, your date may be ok.

If your case is postponed, the court mails you a new hearing notice at least 10 days before your new hearing date. Make sure you watch the mail and tell them if you move.

If you moved or are going to move soon, make sure the court has your new address. Fill out a change of address form and mail it to the court. If your case is in Minnesota, this is the form to fill out: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/file/640016/download.

If your immigration case is in another state, find the right form here: https://www.justice.gov/eoir/form-eoir-33-eoir-immigration-court-listing#Minnesota.

If the court says they are open, then you can go and give them your papers in person. You can also mail your papers to the court. Unless your deadline is very soon, mailing is better.

If your case is in Minnesota, you can call the court at 612-725-3765. Only call if you have a hearing or a deadline that you can’t make.

If you are not in Minnesota, find your court’s number on the website:  https://www.justice.gov/eoir/eoir-immigration-court-listing#MN.

USCIS is the immigration office that takes care of:

• Citizenship
• green cards
• U visa
• T visa
• some asylum cases
• work permits
• travel documents for refugees, and
• applications to bring family members.

USCIS offices are closed for in person appointments. Appointments for the following are all cancelled:

• citizenship interviews
• marriage interviews
• asylum interviews (with the asylum office)
• citizenship oath ceremonies
• appointments to ask about your case

You can’t go to the USCIS office to ask about your case or give them papers. You can find updates about USCIS offices at their website: https://www.uscis.gov/about-us/uscis-response-coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19.

All appointments between March 18 – at least April 1 will be rescheduled. You will get a new appointment date and time in the mail from USCIS. If you moved or are about to move, make sure you update your address, so you get any notices about your case. See our fact sheet about Change of Address.

Fingerprinting appointments at an Application Support Center are also cancelled and will be rescheduled.

USCIS is still working on applications for things they don’t have to meet with people for. You can still fill out and send in forms, like a work permit or citizenship application.

You can check on your case status online: https://egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do. You need the receipt number for the papers you filed. That should be on a receipt USCIS sent you after they got your application. It’s a letter and number code at the top of that letter. It starts with 3 letters, for example EAC, WAC, LIN, SRC and then has 10 numbers.

You can also call the USCIS contact center at 1-800-375-5283. You also need your receipt number when you call.

USCIS has not said if there will be any delays making decisions about applications.

ICE says they do not go to hospitals or medical clinics. If you are sick, get medical care.

If you have regular check-ins, contact your local office where you check in. The general phone number for the ICE office in Minnesota is: (612) 843-8600.

ICE is still accepting bond payments at office locations with “bond windows.” This includes the Minnesota location at the Ft. Snelling federal building. Only the person paying the bond should go. If you have questions about bonds in general, see our fact sheet Immigration Bonds.

Yes, all immigration hearings for people in detention are still being held.

At their website: https://www.ice.gov/covid19.