USCIS Announces Provision of Immigration Case Documents to Eligible Individuals

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced that it will provide documents to eligible individuals after the decisions of immigration judges and the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) on their immigration cases.

This is an important development that will benefit many immigrants who have had their cases heard before an immigration judge or the BIA. The USCIS will now provide them with copies of documents such as notices to appear, charging documents, and decisions.

Previously, these documents were only available from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), which oversees immigration courts and the BIA. This meant that individuals would have to make a separate request for these documents from the EOIR.

The USCIS has stated that this change will help reduce the burden on immigrants and their representatives in obtaining these documents, as they will now be available through the USCIS Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) office.

To be eligible to receive these documents from the USCIS FOIA office, individuals must have received a decision from an immigration judge or the BIA on or after October 1, 2017. They must also have an active asylum, withholding of removal, or Convention Against Torture case, or a pending or approved U visa, T visa, or Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition.

This change is a positive step forward for USCIS in providing better services to immigrants. By streamlining the process for obtaining important documents, the USCIS is making it easier for individuals to navigate the immigration system and get the information they need to make informed decisions about their cases.

In conclusion, this new policy by USCIS is a welcome development for many immigrants who have been waiting for a more streamlined process to obtain important documents related to their immigration cases. It will reduce the burden on them and their representatives and make it easier for them to access the information they need to move forward with their cases.