Justice Department, Executive Office for Immigration Review
This interim final rule ("IFR") amends Department of Justice ("Department" or "DOJ") regulations to streamline administrative appellate review by the Board of Immigration Appeals ("Board" or "BIA") of decisions by Immigration Judges by making review of such decisions on the merits discretionary, by setting appropriate times for briefing in cases that are reviewed on the merits, and by streamlining other aspects of the appellate process to ensure timely adjudications and avoid adding to the already sizeable backlog at the Board. Additionally, the Department is making various technical and non- substantive changes to its regulations.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Justice Executive Office for Immigration Review 8 CFR Parts 1003, 1208, and 1240 [Docket No. EOIR-26-AB37; Dir. Order No. 02-2026] RIN 1125-AB37 ( printed page 5267) AGENCY: Executive Office for Immigration Review (“EOIR”), Department of Justice. ACTION: Interim final rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: This interim final rule (“IFR”) amends Department of Justice (“Department” or “DOJ”) regulations to streamline administrative appellate review by the Board of Immigration Appeals (“Board” or “BIA”) of decisions by Immigration Judges by making review of such decisions on the merits discretionary, by setting appropriate times for briefing in cases that are reviewed on the merits, and by streamlining other aspects of the appellate process to ensure timely adjudications and avoid adding to the already sizeable backlog at the Board. Additionally, the Department is making various technical and non-substantive changes to its regulations. DATES: Effective date: This IFR is effective March 9, 2026. Comments: Electronic comments must be submitted, and written comments must be postmarked or otherwise indicate a shipping date on or before March 9, 2026. The electronic Federal Docket Management System at https://www.regulations.gov will accept electronic comments until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on that date. ADDRESSES: If you wish to provide comments regarding this rulemaking, you must submit your comments…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 91 FR 5267
