Immigration court in Illinois — guide for immigrants in proceedings

Immigration courts in Illinois

Immigration Courts are part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) within Department of Justice. They handle:

• Removal proceedings (deportation cases)
• Defensive asylum (when in removal)
• Cancellation of removal
• Review of DHS credible-fear and reasonable-fear decisions
• Bond hearings (for detained)

Immigration courts in Illinois (real EOIR data)

The following are EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review) courts operating in Illinois. Data verified from justice.gov as of 2026-05-25.

Chicago Immigration Court

Address: 55 E. Monroe St

City: Chicago, IL 60603

Phone: 312-220-0965

Official source: justice.gov/eoir

What to expect at first hearing (Master Calendar Hearing)

1. Arrive early (security takes time)
2. Bring full file and ID
3. If no attorney: judge will ask how you’ll proceed. Can continue the case to give you time to find legal representation; EOIR publishes no standard length for that continuance.
4. If you have attorney: attorney speaks for you in most proceedings.
5. Don’t go ahead without an interpreter if you need one: the court provides a free interpreter if your English is not strong enough to fully understand and take part in the hearing.

If detained

• Visit detained person ASAP: detention center rules apply
• Pay bond if eligible: a delivery bond is at least $1,500 under 8 U.S.C. §1226(a)(2)(A); that is a floor and the statute sets no maximum — see immigration bonds
• Find representation immediately: detained cases have shorter deadlines

How to find pro bono or low-cost attorney in Illinois

See: Legal aid in Illinois

Related information

• Path to Citizenship
• Affidavit of Support I-864
• Public Charge Rule
• Find immigration attorney

Official source: EOIR Immigration Court Listings

Last verified: 2026-10-10.

General procedural information for educational purposes. Not legal, tax, or immigration advice. Laws and fees change — verify with the issuing agency before taking action. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney or other appropriate professional.

Internet-based hearings + telephonic access (EOIR-verified, 2026-09-25)

The following EOIR judges in Illinois publish Webex links for internet-based hearings + telephonic dial-in access codes. Telephonic hearings: dial 1-415-527-5035, then enter the access code for your judge.

Verify before each hearing — links and codes change. Source: justice.gov/eoir/find-immigration-court-and-access-internet-based-hearings.

Chicago Immigration Court

Important: If you don’t have a representative of record, your default hearing medium is in-person regardless of any link above. Photographing or recording any part of an internet-based hearing is strictly prohibited.

Related procedural information

• Find legal aid (pro bono attorneys) by state — pro bono lists per court
• Find an immigration attorney — AILA, BIA-recognized providers
• USCIS Form I-589 — Asylum Application — defensive asylum in immigration court
• Know Your Rights — ICE encounters — what to do if arrested
• Consulate of your country in the US — consular protection during proceedings

EOIR case context (2025-2026)

Key lines stay here: hearing dates via the EOIR automated line 1-800-898-7180 (24/7, English/Spanish); H.R.1 / OBBBA fees apply to EOIR filings postmarked on or after 2026-02-01 (FR 2026-01012), and DOJ’s own EOIR fee rule took effect 2026-06-11 (FR 2026-11692); FY2027 amounts apply to filings on or after 2026-10-01 (FR 2026-17146) — verify at justice.gov/eoir before filing. The national EOIR context — the pending-caseload figure from EOIR’s own statistics, the H.R.1 / OBBBA court fees, the 1996 laws and key Supreme Court rulings, and the hearing hotline and free-representation contacts — is maintained once, on the immigration courts by state hub.