What does the public record show about Judge Hernandez?
EOIR's notice of September 24, 2026 lists Hector Hernandez Jr. for the Orlando Immigration Court, appointed to begin hearing cases in September 2026. He earned a Bachelor of Science in 2005 from the State University of New York and a Juris Doctor in 2011 from Florida A&M College of Law. From December 2025 to September 2026 he was an attorney with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor at ICE in Orlando. From July 1987 to July 2007 he was a law enforcement officer with the New York City Police Department, and from July 1982 to May 1986 he was a soldier in the U.S. Army at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He is a member of the Florida Bar. As of October 30, 2026, our searches found no published appellate decision or news report about his work as a judge. Other people named Hector Hernandez appear in unrelated news, so check the context of anything you read.
Can I ask for a different judge?
Only for a specific reason, and earlier government work alone is not one. In Matter of Exame (1982), the Board of Immigration Appeals held that past work as a government attorney in other, similar cases did not require a judge to step aside, while taking part in investigating or prosecuting the particular case would. EOIR's Memorandum 05-02 says Exame also recognizes recusal for denial of a constitutionally fair proceeding, personal bias from a source outside the case, and pervasive bias shown in conduct. Its test is objective: would a reasonable person who knows all the facts question the judge's impartiality? Requests must be on the record or in writing with specific reasons. Adverse rulings are not enough, and parties may not shop for a judge. Recusal now rests on regulation: under 8 C.F.R. § 1240.1(b), a judge shall withdraw if he or she deems himself or herself disqualified. This is general law for every judge, and we have no information about any case.
How do I confirm my judge and reach the Orlando court?
Read your latest hearing notice, then follow our guide to finding your hearing, court and judge. The court is at 500 N. Orange Ave, Suite 1100, Orlando, FL 32801, phone 407-244-8900, email Orlando.Immigration.Court@usdoj.gov. Public hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the filing window is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The court does not accept faxes or other electronic submissions unless staff or the judge asked for them. The entrance is on the front left corner of the building, and everyone entering must have government-issued identification and pass security screening, so bring ID. EOIR's automated line, 1-800-898-7180, is in English and Spanish. If you have no representative of record, plan on an in-person hearing whatever a listing shows, and do not use a posted Webex link without court approval. Hearings proceed promptly, and security delays do not excuse lateness. If you moved within Florida, you must file Form EOIR-33 within five days. Moving does not transfer your case.
A relative is held in Florida. Does Orlando handle the case?
Possibly, but confirm it. EOIR's Administrative Control List says Orlando may have jurisdiction over charging documents from the Orlando DHS sub-office and from sites including the Baker County Detention Center, Baker Correctional Institution, Liberty County Jail, Flagler County Jail and FCC Coleman. That list is not a ruling on anyone's case. Get the A-number, use the case line, then call the court. EOIR's manual sends a bond request first to the court with jurisdiction over the place of detention, and there is no filing fee. Our bond hearing guide, current to October 30, 2026, says Florida is in the Eleventh Circuit, where Hernandez Alvarez v. Warden rejected the government's reading, but that a judge withheld the mandate in May 2026 and the outcome of the rehearing request could not be confirmed. That guide also explains who is barred from bond. A transfer can change the court and the law, so move quickly.
Should I go to my Orlando hearing if I am afraid of arrest?
Yes, in almost every case, but prepare first. Missing a hearing after proper notice can lead to an in absentia removal order, which cannot be appealed directly and can be undone only through a motion to reopen. As of October 30, 2026, two federal rulings limit ICE arrests in or near immigration courts, but they are not a shield. On June 23, 2026 a California federal court vacated ICE's 2025 courthouse policies, and on September 30, 2026 a Manhattan federal judge set them aside as applied to immigration courts, which leaves DHS's April 2021 limits. Those limits still allow arrests for a national security threat; an imminent risk of death, violence or physical harm; hot pursuit of someone who threatens public safety; imminent destruction of evidence in a criminal case; and, with a supervisor's advance approval, someone who threatens public safety where a safe alternative location does not exist or would be too difficult. The California court added that ICE may still arrest people outside courthouses. We could not confirm how ICE applies these rulings in Orlando or whether they have changed on appeal. See a lawyer before the date if you have an old order or any arrest history.
When should I talk to a lawyer?
Before your master calendar hearing, and at once if a relative has been detained, you have a removal order you did not expect, or you believe any judge took part in your own case. Bring every notice and any record of who represented the government at past hearings. The firm's main office is in Boca Raton. Ace Immigration's attorney, Anna Tsibel, is a Russian-speaking immigration attorney licensed by the California bar, focused on asylum and deportation defense. No lawyer can promise an outcome, but a consultation can tell you what your own papers show.