EOIR OCIJ Memo: Case Processing Priorities (Jan. 31, 2017)

EOIR, Jan. 31, 2017 - "This memorandum serves to rescind the February 3, 2016, memorandum ("Revised Docketing Practices Relating to Certain EOIR Priority Cases") and the March 24, 2015, memorandum ("Docketing Practices Relating to Unaccompanied Children Cases and Adults with Children Released on Alternatives to Detention Cases in Light of New Priorities"). Our case processing priorities will be limited to the following three categories of cases:

(1) All detained individuals*,
(2) Unaccompanied children in the care and custody the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) who do not have a sponsor identified, and
(3) Individuals who are released from custody on a Rodriguez bond.

This change is being made to refocus the Immigration Courts' resources on EOIR's highest processing priority: individuals who are detained by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pending their removal proceedings. This memorandum is effective immediately.

[More...]

* This focus on detained cases includes proceedings held through the Institutional Hearing Program (IHP) for individuals incarcerated at correctional institutions nationwide. Further information regarding the increased use of IHP will be forthcoming."