What EOIR actually updated on October 19
The Executive Office for Immigration Review lists immigration judges in an alphabetized directory and again by state and court. Its page, marked updated October 19, 2026, supplies internet-based hearing links and access codes associated with judges. EOIR also publishes one telephone number for telephonic hearings, to be used with the relevant access code.
This is a useful access update, not a new order making every immigration hearing remote. A directory entry tells you how an authorized internet or telephone appearance can be reached. It does not decide whether your own hearing is in person, online or by telephone.
The hearing notice and the directory do different jobs
EOIR says court documents such as hearing notices are the official source of case information. Its Automated Case Information System can provide a status cross-check, but a website listing or saved calendar entry should not be treated as a substitute for the current notice and any later scheduling order.
Compare the respondent鈥檚 name, A-number, court, judge, date, time and hearing medium across the actual notice and the official case system. If anything is missing or inconsistent, call the immigration court handling the case. Do not choose a Webex link merely because the judge鈥檚 name appears in the directory.
An unrepresented respondent has a specific default
The updated directory states that respondents without a representative of record always have an in-person default hearing medium, regardless of the indication in the directory. That warning is especially important for someone who finds a judge鈥檚 Webex room through a search engine and assumes it authorizes remote attendance.
A represented respondent should still follow the hearing notice, court order and representative鈥檚 instructions. A pending request to change the hearing medium is not the same as an order granting the request. Until the court confirms a change, prepare for the hearing as currently scheduled.
Build a simple day-of-hearing access sheet
| Item | What to verify |
|---|---|
| Hearing authority | Current notice or court order stating the hearing medium. |
| Court and judge | Exact court location and assigned judge on the current record. |
| Remote details | Official EOIR link or telephone access code, only if remote attendance is authorized. |
| Backup contact | The immigration court鈥檚 official telephone number and counsel鈥檚 contact plan. |
| Documents | Hearing notice, identification and the filed record counsel says to have available. |
Remote access does not permit recording
EOIR warns that photographing or recording any part of an internet-based hearing is prohibited and may carry penalties under 8 CFR 1003.28. Do not screen-record, livestream or ask a relative to capture the hearing. Keep private notes only as permitted and follow the judge鈥檚 instructions.
When a remote appearance is authorized, test the device, audio, internet connection and a private location before the hearing. Keep the official court number available in case access fails. Technical trouble should be reported promptly; disappearing from the session without contacting the court is not a safe response.
Operational status is a separate check
EOIR maintains another page for court openings and closures. A closure notice may identify an alternative location for emergency filings, but EOIR says those locations are for emergency submissions only. A general court directory should not be used to guess where a filing goes during a closure.
Check operational status close to the hearing, particularly during severe weather or a building disruption. Continue to monitor the case and official notices after any closure. This article explains the October 19 directory update; it does not announce that a particular court is closed or that a particular filing deadline has changed.
Source status and educational boundary
The directory and EOIR court-information pages were read directly on October 21, 2026. The directory itself displays an October 19 update date. No claim is made that every individual judge entry changed on that date. This is practical educational information, not representation, a hearing-medium request or advice to miss an in-person appearance.