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

Yes, the Immigration Court is open. The Minnesota immigration court had delayed or rescheduled many hearings. Starting July 6, 2021 they are going back to a regular schedule for most hearings. If your hearing was cancelled because of the pandemic, you will get a new hearing date.

You can see the most recent information about court openings at the court website here: EOIR Operational Status | Department of Justice.

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 your case was 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.

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 open for in person appointments. USCIS is sending notices of new interview dates to people whose interviews were cancelled because of COVID-19. 

You need an appointment to 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-to-covid-19.

You will get a new date and time in the mail from USCIS.

Fingerprinting appointments at an Application Support Center that were cancelled will be rescheduled.

Naturalization ceremonies that were postponed will be rescheduled. 

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.

USCIS has made changes to keep everyone safe from the Coronavirus. Some of these are:

• Don’t go to an appointment if you have COVID-19 symptoms
• Only arrive 15 minutes early for your appointment
• If you aren't fully vaccinated, you must wear a mask or face covering that covers your mouth and nose
• Limit the number of people who come to an appointment with you

Your appointment or interview notice has safety instructions on it for the office you are visiting.

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.

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

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/coronavirus.