Immigrants summoned to undisclosed courts with last-minute location changes
Immigrants have received abrupt notices to appear at unfamiliar venues in Washington, D.C., and Falls Church, Virginia, for in-person hearings that lack proper court facilities.
Immigration attorneys report that the Executive Office for Immigration Review has recently moved scheduled hearings from the Hyattsville, Baltimore and Sterling courts to a Federal Center Plaza site in Washington, D.C., and a government building in Falls Church, Virginia, neither of which hosts regular immigration courtrooms. Notices were sent only a few days before the new dates, and in some cases not at all, prompting concerns that the changes breach DOJ policy mandating ten-day notice.
Attendees observed judges and prosecutors participating remotely, while immigrants were required to appear in person at the unfamiliar sites. Critics say the tactic targets unrepresented immigrants, who face automatic in-absentia removal if they miss a hearing. The moves coincide with broader Trump-era efforts to accelerate deportations, including “mega master calendar” hearings that have driven record numbers of removal orders.
Why it matters
The practice threatens due process for vulnerable immigrants and may increase unlawful removals.
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