Question: I lost my case at the Immigration Court. I understand that I have many issues that I can appeal and that there is a very reasonable chance that I could win. Can you let me know where my appeal goes and what might happen?

Answer: There are many Immigration Courts in the U.S. All together there are about 55 Immigration Courts through all 50 States as well as in Puerto Rico. Whenever you lose at the Immigration Court level, you appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals or the BIA. There is only one BIA in the entire United States. The BIA is located in Virginia and handles all of the appeals of every Immigration Court throughout the entire United States.

The Notice of Appeal must be in the hands of the BIA no later than 30 days after issuance of the decision from the Immigration Judge. Afterward, it goes to a panel of three of the members of the Board of Immigration Appeals and in about one year the decision is issued.

Question: I have heard that there will be some changes at the BIA. Is that true and what are they?

Answer: Yes it is true. The changes are not for the better. In fact, the changes will make the appeal process to the BIA an exercise in futility and will deny numerous rights to immigrants and their rights to appeal. Attorney General Ashcroft has just issued regulations to go into effect later this month that will change some of the basic ways that the BIA decides cases. First, they will no longer make a three member panel to decide cases, but only one member will decide. Only on cases of novel importance or ones that are unusually complicated will it be referred to a three member panel. Who decides if a case is novel or unusual is unclear. In all other real appeals (other than the new BIA regulations) it goes to a three member panel. This gives the person appealing the knowledge and satisfaction that the appeal will be decided among three qualified persons who must come to a consensus. Now, the appeal at the BIA, for the most part, is in the hands of one person. This item by itself takes away much of the due process and fairness to the immigrant.

Next, there is now a timetable that is set for deciding the case. Thus, rather than taking the necessary time to properly decide the case, the Attorney General has mandated that the cases take around 6 months. Thus, again there is a violation of the Due Process rights of immigrants. An appeal should not have as its primary importance the number of days or months it must be decided. What this will do is make a single member rush through cases to make sure that the timetable is met, rather than the case being decided on its merits.

Question: What will happen if the BIA or Board of Immigration Appeals denies the case?

Answer: In reality, that is what will happen in most cases. Because of these new regulations, and because of the violation of Constitutional Due Process rights, people will simply use the BIA as a stepping stone to get to the real appeal. Once the BIA denies the case, it can be appealed directly to a Circuit Appellate Court of the United States. These courts are right below the U.S. Supreme Court. In these appeals, there will be a three judge panel and they will give a real chance to have the case heard on the merits. Do not give up with these new regulations. Just keep fighting until you get to the Circuit Courts, and hopefully, we can restore the immigrant rights that have been lost.
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