Deportation & Immigration Court
Motions to ReopenMotions to Reopen Immigration Court Proceedings
A motion to reopen removal proceedings in immigration court may be based on one of several reasons. First, the alien did not receive proper notice of the immigration court proceedings, and s/he was ordered deported in absentia. Second, the individual failed to attend an immigration court hearing due to exceptional circumstances and was ordered deported. Third, the individual was ordered deported after a trial; however, since the deportation order new evidence has become available that warrants new consideration of the alien's case. In each of these scenarios it is absolutely crucial to have an experienced and knowledgeable attorney with excellent writing and research skills prepare the Motion to Reopen. In most instances, the alien, who has been ordered deported, is permitted only one motion to reopen; therefore, it is exceedingly important to get it right the first time. In Absentia Motion to Reopen When an alien fails to attend an immigration court hearing, the immigration judge will order the alien removed. Oftentimes, the alien fails to attend the immigration court hearing because s/he never received the notice of the hearing date. Perhaps the alien changed addresses recently. Maybe US Citizenship and Immigration Services made a mistake and sent the notice to the wrong address. Either way, if the alien proves that s/he did not receive notice of the hearing in accordance with INA § 239(a)(1) or (2), the case should be reopened. INA 239(a)(1) requires that the Notice to Appear state the time and place at which the immigration court hearing will be held. INA 239(a)(2) states that a written notice of change in time or place of proceedings must be provided to the alien or the alien's counsel of record via mail or personal service. Oftentimes it is important to review the immigration court file regarding the deportation order before filing the motion to reopen. This will allow the attorney to better understand why the alien did not receive the notice of hearing, and the attorney will be able to prepare a more persuasive motion to reopen. If the deportation order was entered in absentia, the filing of the motion to reopen stays the execution of the removal order automatically. This means that filing the motion to reopen prevents immigration officers from coming to your house and deporting you. A motion to reopen an in absentia removal order does not require a fee. If the alien did not receive proper notice of the hearing, the motion to reopen may be filed at any time. However, if the motion to reopen is because the alien was unable to attend the hearing due to exceptional circumstances, the motion to reopen must be filed within 180 days of the removal order. Motions to reopen based on failure to attend due to exceptional circumstances beyond the control of the alien are very specific motions. Generally, the alien must prove that s/he was unable to attend the hearing because s/he was seriously ill, a death in the family occurred or a severe accident occurred while traveling to the immigration court. Other reasons may be sufficient to warrant a reopening, but the reason must not be any less compelling. Motion to Reopen Based on New Evidence or Facts Sometimes, after an alien is ordered deported, new facts or new evidence emerges which makes the alien eligible for a form of relief from deportation. In these cases, the motion to reopen must be filed with the Immigration Judge or the Board of Immigration Appeals depending on which has administrative control over the proceedings. The alien must prove to the court that the new evidence sought to be offered is material and was not available and could not have been discovered or presented at the earlier hearing. In these cases, the motion to reopen must be accompanied by the appropriate application for relief. All motions to reopen should be handled by an experienced and knowledgeable attorney with excellent writing and research skills. The motion must contain specific language and persuasive legal arguments. Aliens who choose to prepare the motion to reopen by themselves have almost no chance of succeeding. Nelson & Nuñez, P.C. has helped countless clients reopen their immigration cases for all types of reasons including failure to provide notice of the hearing, exceptional circumstances and new evidence, facts and relief. Contact Nelson & Nuñez, P.C. today to schedule a consultation. We can meet with you to determine whether your case is eligible to be reopened. We will help you reopen your case, and represent you in the immigration court. |
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