If you or someone in your family received a Notice to Appear or a hearing notice from the Dallas Immigration Court, a removal case may be underway. An ICE arrest alone does not establish that proceedings before an immigration judge have begun; we check the charging documents and court record. Most Fort Worth cases that are not detained are heard at the Dallas Immigration Court, 1100 Commerce Street, Room 1060, Dallas, TX 75242. People who are detained are usually heard on a detained docket tied to the facility where they are held.
Removal proceedings are a real court case with deadlines, evidence and a judge. Many people have defenses they do not know about. Our Fort Worth office on Bridge Street represents families in immigration court. Consultations are by appointment, in person or by video. Call (888) 902-9285 or request a consultation.
Who hears Fort Worth deportation cases
| If your case is… | Where it is usually heard |
|---|---|
| Not detained, living in Tarrant, Johnson, Parker or nearby counties | Dallas Immigration Court, 1100 Commerce Street, Room 1060, Dallas, TX 75242 (EOIR) |
| Detained at Prairieland Detention Center, Alvarado | Detained docket listed under the Houston (Greenspoint Park) Immigration Court; confirm the hearing location and format from the individual notice |
| Detained at Bluebonnet Detention Facility, Anson | Listed under the El Paso Immigration Court (El Paso Service Processing Center) |
| ICE check-ins, custody, release conditions | ICE ERO Dallas Field Office, 8101 N. Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75247, (972) 367-2200 |
| Appeals from an immigration judge | Board of Immigration Appeals, then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit |
Your hearing notice is the controlling document. Always go where the notice says, and check your case status on EOIR's automated case information system or hotline before every hearing. Hearing locations and formats can change.
What happens in a removal case
- Notice to Appear (NTA). DHS files charges explaining why it says you can be removed. Read the charges carefully. Errors in the NTA can matter.
- Master calendar hearing. A short first hearing (people often search for it as a "master hearing"). The judge confirms your identity and address, you or your lawyer respond to the charges, and you tell the court what relief you are seeking. Deadlines are set here.
- Applications and evidence. You file the application for relief, such as asylum or cancellation of removal, with documents, translations and witness statements, by the court's deadline.
- Individual hearing. The full hearing on your case, with testimony and cross-examination by the government's lawyer.
- Decision and appeal. The judge rules. Either side can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals, generally within 30 days of the decision (8 C.F.R. § 1003.38(b)).
How long this takes depends on the court's calendar, whether the person is detained, and the case. We do not promise a timeline.
Defenses and relief that may apply
Every case is different. These are the most common paths we review for Fort Worth families:
- Challenging the charges. Sometimes DHS cannot prove removability, or the charge is wrong for the facts.
- Cancellation of removal for non-permanent residents (8 U.S.C. § 1229b(b)). Generally requires 10 years of continuous physical presence, good moral character, no disqualifying convictions, and proof that removal would cause exceptional and extremely unusual hardship to a U.S. citizen or permanent-resident spouse, parent or child.
- Cancellation of removal for permanent residents (8 U.S.C. § 1229b(a)), with its own residence and conviction rules.
- Asylum, withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture protection for people who fear harm in their home country. Asylum has a one-year filing deadline with limited exceptions. See our Fort Worth asylum page.
- Adjustment of status in court for some people with a qualifying family petition, such as a U.S. citizen spouse.
- Voluntary departure (8 U.S.C. § 1229c), which can avoid a formal removal order in some cases.
- Prosecutorial discretion, which DHS may or may not exercise, and which we never promise.
- Appeals to the Board of Immigration Appeals and, when appropriate, a petition for review to the Fifth Circuit.
If you missed a hearing or already have a deportation order
A missed hearing usually leads to an order of removal "in absentia." That order can sometimes be reopened. A motion to reopen based on exceptional circumstances generally must be filed within 180 days, and a motion based on lack of proper notice can be filed at any time (8 U.S.C. § 1229a(b)(5)(C)). Act quickly; waiting can close options. See reopening an in-absentia order.
If ICE has detained your family member
Detention changes the pace of the case. Two questions come first: can the person ask for bond, and if not, is a federal habeas petition appropriate? The detention statute and current court decisions determine whether an immigration judge has bond authority. See our Fort Worth bond hearing page and Fort Worth habeas page. Most North Texas families deal with Prairieland Detention Center in Alvarado (Johnson County) or Bluebonnet Detention Facility in Anson (Jones County).
What to bring to your consultation
- Every paper from immigration court, ICE or USCIS: Notice to Appear, hearing notices, any orders, check-in or supervision documents.
- Your A-number and passport or other ID.
- Your entry history: when and how you entered, and any prior removals or returns.
- Criminal court records, if any, showing the final outcome.
- Proof of time in the United States and family ties: leases, tax returns, school records, birth and marriage certificates.
- Any earlier immigration applications and their decisions.
If documents are not in English, bring them anyway. Certified translations will be needed for court.
Frequently asked questions
My notice says Dallas. Do I really have to go to Dallas? If your notice lists the Dallas Immigration Court and an in-person hearing, yes. Missing it can lead to an order of removal. Some hearings are by video; your notice and EOIR's case information will say. Check before every hearing.
Can I change my address or move my case closer to Fort Worth? You must report any address change to the court within five days on Form EOIR-33. Venue changes are possible in some situations by motion, but the court decides.
Is a deportation case the same as an ICE arrest? No. ICE can arrest and detain, but an immigration judge decides most removal cases. Detention is handled through bond requests and, sometimes, federal habeas.
Will I definitely be deported if I lose at the hearing? Not necessarily right away. There may be an appeal or other options, depending on the case. We explain them before any deadline passes.
Do you take cases in Spanish, Russian and other languages? Yes. We work in English, Spanish, Russian, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Uzbek and Vietnamese (Vietnamese by video).
Talk with our Fort Worth office
Smallcomb Law Group, Inc.
5601 Bridge Street, Suite 300, Fort Worth, TX 76112
Phone: (888) 902-9285
Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Consultations are by appointment, in person or by video. We work in English, Spanish, Russian, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Uzbek and Vietnamese (Vietnamese by video).
Request a consultation · Call (888) 902-9285
Attorney Deron E. Smallcomb has been licensed to practice law since 2012. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Start with a consultation: we listen, explain your options and our fees in writing, and tell you plainly if we cannot help.
Responsible attorney: Deron E. Smallcomb, admitted in California and Texas. Primary practice location: Fort Worth.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Reading it or contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case depends on its own facts, and no result is promised. Laws and court decisions in this area change often; this page was last reviewed on October 11, 2026.