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
- Some USCIS decision appeals
- 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)
- Arrive early (security takes time)
- Bring full file and ID
- 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.
- If you have attorney: attorney speaks for you in most proceedings.
- Don’t speak English without interpreter: you have right to free interpreter (court-provided) if English isn’t your native language.
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
Related information
Official source: EOIR Immigration Court Listings
Last verified: 2026-08-11.
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, 2026-05-26)
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
| Judge Name | Internet-Based Hearing Link | Access Code (Telephonic)* |
|---|---|---|
| ACIJ Craig DeFoe (CDE) | Join hearing | 199 747 8125 |
| Shawn J. Abraham (SJA) | Join hearing | 2819 541 8922 |
| Dillon J. Ambrose (DJA) | Join hearing | 2823 223 8256 |
| Matthew C. Beese (MCB) | Join hearing | 2822 807 4183 |
| Albert Charanza | Join hearing | 2821 281 8910 |
| Brendan Curran (BCC) | Join hearing | 199 328 2845 |
| Kenneth Flesch (KHF) | Join hearing | 2829 052 9432 |
| Stephen Harrell | Join hearing | 2825 972 6806 |
| Peter A. Kim (PAK) | Join hearing | 2764 656 4626 |
| Michael Klosowsky (MLK) | Join hearing | 199 896 5268 |
| Joshua Luskin (JAL) | Join hearing | 1995 097 6927 |
| Jacob Marshall (JBM) | Join hearing | 2823 258 7940 |
| Patrick McKenna (PKM) | Join hearing | 199 761 6184 |
| Ana Mencini (AAM) | Join hearing | 2760 871 0548 |
| Samia Naseem (SNA) | Join hearing | 199 402 4382 |
| Robbin E. Perkins (ROP) | Join hearing | 2835 030 7655 |
| Jaime Poarch (JPH) | Join hearing | 2820 440 6418 |
| Marc Stahl (MCS) | Join hearing | 2762 568 0270 |
| Michelle Venci (MEV) | Join hearing | 2763 486 5234 |
| Akash B. Vyas (AHV) | Join hearing | 2827 595 3807 |
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 an internet-based hearing without permission is 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 has applied fees to some EOIR filings since 2026-05-29 — 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.