Quick Overview
- Immigration court information reaches the internet through: For more information, visit the EOIR immigration courts.
- Removal (deportation) proceedings: Generally open to the public.
- Asylum cases: Asylum hearings are closed to the public by default under 8 C.F.R.
100% Results-Based PricingYou pay only once the court record link is gone from Google search results. No retainer, no upfront fee.
Are Immigration Court Records Public?
Generally yes, with important exceptions:
- Removal (deportation) proceedings: Generally open to the public. Hearings are typically public, and docket information is available through EOIR's automated case information system.
- Asylum cases: Asylum hearings are closed to the public by default under 8 C.F.R. § 1003.27. The records of asylum proceedings are confidential under 8 C.F.R. § 208.6. This confidentiality is critical for asylum seekers' safety.
- Withholding of removal cases: Also closed to the public when based on asylum-like grounds.
- Cases involving minors: Juvenile immigration proceedings are closed to protect the minor.
- Special immigrant juvenile proceedings: Confidential.
How Immigration Court Records Appear Online
Immigration court information reaches the internet through: For more information, visit the EOIR immigration courts.
- EOIR automated information: EOIR operates a hotline and online system showing basic case status (hearing dates, next event) - not detailed records, but case status for non-asylum cases
- BIA appellate decisions: Board of Immigration Appeals decisions are published and indexed by legal aggregators including CourtListener and Justia
- News coverage: Immigration cases, especially high-profile deportation or asylum cases, receive news coverage that is widely indexed by Google, an advanced category where removal may be possible through publisher outreach or de-indexing
- Federal court PACER: When immigration cases are appealed to federal circuit courts, they become part of the PACER/CourtListener record
Protecting Immigration Court Privacy
For non-asylum cases that are public:
- Aggregator sites showing BIA decisions can be contacted for removal if the case is sensitive
- Federal circuit court decisions on CourtListener can be addressed through CourtListener's privacy policy after legal proceedings conclude
- Google de-indexing can be requested for pages displaying sensitive immigration information
- For asylum cases - the confidentiality provisions are strong, and any disclosure of asylum case information is a serious legal violation that should be reported immediately
"Transparent, specific, and honest from day one. They told me which records were removable and which weren't before I paid anything."
Free consultation
Is your immigration record showing online? Find out - free.
Tell us about your situation and a removal specialist will personally review it and respond within one business day. No pressure, no obligation.
- No upfront payment - you only pay if we succeed
- A+ BBB Rated · 5,000+ Cases Handled · Since 2013
- 100% Confidential · Response within 1 business day
As seen in
Frequently Asked Questions
In most cases, yes. Removal (deportation) hearings at the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) are generally open to the public. However, asylum hearings are closed to the public by default under federal regulation (8 C.F.R. § 1003.27). Cases involving juveniles are also closed. The immigration judge may close any hearing for good cause, and certain national security cases are also closed.
Yes. Asylum application records are confidential under 8 C.F.R. § 208.6. This means that the fact that someone has applied for asylum, and all information in the asylum application, is protected from disclosure. Unauthorized disclosure of asylum information is prohibited and can have serious consequences for asylum seekers whose safety may depend on the confidentiality of their case. This protection applies to USCIS, EOIR, and other government agencies.
For non-asylum removal cases, basic case status is available through EOIR's automated system (acis.eoir.justice.gov) using an alien registration number (A-number). This shows hearing dates and case status but not detailed records. For federal court immigration appeals, PACER (pacer.gov) and CourtListener (courtlistener.com) provide access to filings and decisions. Asylum cases are confidential and not accessible through these systems.
Yes. Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) decisions are part of the public record. Published BIA decisions are available on the EOIR website and are indexed by legal aggregators including CourtListener, Justia, and others. These decisions appear in Google search results. For immigrants whose names appear in published BIA decisions, this creates an online record of their immigration proceedings; removal there is an advanced category that often needs deeper analysis and may be possible through publisher outreach or Google de-indexing.
If your immigration case appears online, the approach depends on the source. For BIA decisions on aggregator sites, contact the platform with a documented request and explanation of privacy concerns. For federal circuit court decisions on CourtListener, review CourtListener's privacy policy for available options. For news coverage, outreach to the publication is possible. Google's removal tools can be used for pages displaying sensitive personal information. Asylum records that are publicly disclosed should be reported to EOIR as a potential regulatory violation.
Keep reading
Related guides
Expungement guideExpungement vs. Sealing - What's the Difference?Read the guide →Record type guideAre Divorce Court Records Public? What Shows Up OnlineRead the guide →ExplainerAre Family Court Records Public: Divorce, Custody & Child…Read the guide →ExplainerOfficial Court Records vs. Third-Party Sites: Critical…Read the guide →ExplainerHow Long Do Court Records Stay Online? The Full Answer (2026…Read the guide →Pillar guideHow to Remove a Court Case from Public RecordRead the guide →