Why does my notice say Van Nuys if I live elsewhere?
Los Angeles has three non-detained court locations on EOIR's list: N. Los Angeles Street downtown, West Los Angeles by LAX, and Van Nuys Boulevard in the San Fernando Valley. We cannot tell you why a case went to one of them, and a home address does not settle it. What matters is the place on your latest Notice of Hearing. Check it on the automated line, 1-800-898-7180, as our guide on finding your court and date explains, or call this court at 818-904-5200. If you have moved and want the case heard elsewhere, a change of venue takes a written motion, and until a judge grants it and a new notice comes, this hearing stands. Also file Form EOIR-33 within five days of moving. Other locations include the downtown court and West Los Angeles.
How do I find the court in the building?
EOIR's page says to enter through the main lobby; the court is on the third floor, Suite 300. Visitor parking signs are posted, and the page gives no price and no transit information, so check both before the day. An undated ICE handout places the ICE attorneys in the same building, Suite 1011, so go by the suite number rather than by the first immigration sign you see. Public hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday except federal holidays. Everyone passes a metal detector and bag screening on each visit, and you may be asked to remove your shoes. Food and drink are not allowed unless the judge permits them.
What if I arrive late or get stuck on the way?
Do not turn back. The Policy Manual says hearings proceed promptly at the scheduled time, and that being delayed can lead to a hearing held without you. Screening delays do not excuse lateness, so build them into your trip. If something goes wrong, call the court at 818-904-5200, go to the court anyway, and tell a lawyer the same day. A missed hearing can bring an in absentia removal order, and that guide explains the narrow routes back, including the 180-day limit for exceptional circumstances. Keep evidence of what happened, such as a tow receipt or hospital record. A late arrival that ends in an order is very hard to undo, which is why leaving early matters.
How do I file papers with this court before my hearing?
Suite 300 takes filings from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays except federal holidays. Do not stop there: DHS gets a copy too, and an undated ICE handout places the ICE attorneys in this building, Suite 1011, so hand delivery may be simple once you confirm it. Then put a signed proof of service on your filing, stating the office, address, date, method and documents. Leaving it out is one of the Policy Manual's examples of a filing that can be returned unconsidered. If you have no lawyer and are not detained, you need 15 days' lead time for a ruling at a master calendar hearing, may otherwise file in open court, and need 30 days for an individual hearing. Mailing is not filing: the date is when the court receives it. Since there are no receipts, include an extra copy marked CONFORMED COPY; RETURN TO SENDER with a prepaid return envelope. Email to LAVanNuys.Immigration.Court@usdoj.gov is discarded unless requested; Asylum.Clock.Van.Nuys@usdoj.gov handles only work-permit clock requests. Form EOIR-33 is due within five days of a move.
Can ICE arrest someone at this court?
ICE can still make arrests in defined cases, but as of October 30, 2026 the broad 2025 policy has been vacated for immigration courts. A federal court in California vacated it in Pablo Sequen v. Albarran on June 23, 2026, and on July 10 refused to pause that during the government's appeal. In New York, African Communities Together v. Venturella reached the same result in part on September 30, 2026, for arrests in or near immigration courts, without limiting relief to the plaintiffs. ICE's April 2021 guidance now governs and still permits arrests for reasons such as a national security threat or a danger to public safety. We found no later appeals ruling, so check with a lawyer this week. If fear is keeping you from court, call a lawyer rather than stay away. An order of removal in your absence is far harder to fix, particularly with an old order or a criminal record.
Is my hearing online, and who can come with me?
Do not assume it is online. EOIR says people without a lawyer of record have in-person hearings by default, whatever its list shows, and that a Webex link posted for an in-person hearing is only for those the court approved. If unsure, call the court. Phone hearings use 1-415-527-5035 with the code published for the judge. Relatives may sit in on open hearings without permission, under EOIR's memo of July 15, 2026, but children who are not taking part should not come. Our master calendar hearing guide covers the first appearance.
What if a relative is detained, or I need a lawyer?
A detained person's bond request goes to the court with jurisdiction over the place of detention, which may be Adelanto or elsewhere, not this court. Locate the person first through ICE's Online Detainee Locator, ice.gov/locator. California is in the Ninth Circuit, which rejected the government's mandatory detention reading in Rodriguez Vazquez v. Bostock; see our bond hearing guide as of October 30, 2026. Have the A-number and facility name ready when you call. Bring your notices to any first meeting so that a lawyer can read what the court actually sent you. Anna Tsibel, our Russian-speaking attorney licensed by the California bar, focuses on asylum and deportation defense. You can request a consultation, read what to expect in Los Angeles immigration courts, or see our Los Angeles representation page; meetings in Westlake Village are by appointment.