immigration-pro-se · diff

v0.1.0 to v0.1.1

13 added, 18 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: immigration-pro-se

description: >

- Use this skill FIRST when a self-represented person is dealing with any U.S.

- immigration matter and needs orientation before drafting — it maps the four

- separate forums (USCIS benefits, EOIR immigration court / the Board of

- Immigration Appeals, Department of State consular processing, and federal

- circuit petitions for review) so the right downstream skill is used and the

- right body of rules is cited. Triggers include "I got an NTA", "notice to

- appear", "immigration court date", "I have a master calendar hearing", "USCIS

- denied", "received an RFE", "my visa was refused", "221g", "I want to appeal

- to the BIA", "petition for review", "what's my A-number", "how do I find my

- case", "do I need a lawyer for immigration", "notario", "can someone represent

- me in immigration court", "EOIR-28", "G-28", "respondent pro se", "self-

- represented immigration". The skill enforces the documents-not-advice

- boundary, flags when the stakes require a licensed immigration attorney or an

- EOIR-accredited representative, warns about notario / unauthorized-practice

- fraud, locates the case (EOIR automated portal, USCIS online account,

- A-number), and routes to the venue-specific skills. Composes with every other

- skill in this plugin and with the state *-pro-se skills.

- version: 0.1.0

+ Use this skill FIRST when a self-represented person needs orientation in any

+ U.S. immigration matter — maps the four separate forums (USCIS benefits, EOIR

+ immigration court/BIA, Department of State consular processing, federal

+ circuit review) so the right downstream skill is used. Triggers: "I got an

+ NTA", "notice to appear", "immigration court date", "master calendar hearing",

+ "USCIS denied", "received an RFE", "my visa was refused", "221g", "appeal to

+ the BIA", "petition for review", "what's my A-number", "how do I find my

+ case", "do I need a lawyer", "notario", "EOIR-28", "G-28", "self-represented

+ immigration". Enforces documents-not-advice boundary; warns about notario

+ fraud; locates the case (EOIR portal, USCIS account, A-number); establishes

+ controlling deadline; routes to venue-specific skills. Composes with every

+ other skill in this plugin and with state *-pro-se skills.

+ version: 0.1.1

---

# Immigration — Pro Se Orientation

> **NOT LEGAL ADVICE.** This skill and everything in this plugin produce drafting aids,

> checklists, and document scaffolds — **not legal advice**, and no attorney-client

> relationship is created. Immigration consequences (removal, bars to reentry, loss of

> status) are severe and often irreversible. Verify every deadline, form edition, and

> citation against current law, and **strongly consider consulting a licensed immigration

> attorney or an EOIR-accredited representative** before filing anything.

## Why this skill goes first

U.S. immigration practice is split across **four forums that do not share rules, deadlines,

or filing systems.** Picking the wrong one wastes the (often single) chance to act. Identify

the forum before drafting:

|---|---|---|---|

| **EOIR immigration court** (DOJ) | Removal / deportation; relief in proceedings | 8 CFR Part 1003 / 1240 / 1208; ICPM | `eoir-removal-defense`, `eoir-motions-to-reopen-reconsider` |

The full EOIR court system is described in `eoir-immigration-courts`; the master deadline

catalog is in `immigration-deadlines`. Statutory text lives in

[`../../references/immigration-statutes/`](../../references/immigration-statutes/) — cite by

the **INA → 8 U.S.C.** crosswalk in that corpus's README (INA § 240 = 8 U.S.C. § 1229a,

INA § 212 = 8 U.S.C. § 1182, etc.), not from memory.

## First three things to establish

1. **The A-number.** The "A-number" (Alien Registration Number, `A2NN-NNN-NNN`) is the

person's file key across DHS and EOIR. It is on the NTA, USCIS notices, and the green

card. Every filing and FOIA request keys off it.

2. **Where the case actually is.** A person can have matters in more than one forum at once.

Locate each:

- **In removal proceedings?** Check the EOIR automated case-information system (by

A-number) for the next hearing date and the filing deadline.

- **A pending USCIS case?** Check the USCIS online account / receipt number (`XYZ` +

10 digits) and the case-status tool.

- Pull the record before drafting — see `immigration-foia` for getting the **A-file**

(USCIS) and the **Record of Proceedings** (EOIR).

3. **The controlling deadline.** Immigration deadlines are short and frequently

jurisdictional (a missed BIA-appeal or petition-for-review deadline usually cannot be

cured). Run `immigration-deadlines` immediately.

## Representation — who may appear, and the fraud warning

- **You may represent yourself** ("pro se" / "self-represented") in any forum.

- In EOIR proceedings, a representative enters via **Form EOIR-28**; before USCIS, via

**Form G-28**. Only (a) licensed attorneys in good standing and (b) **EOIR-accredited

representatives** at recognized organizations may represent you (8 CFR Part 1292 /

§ 1003.16). Free / low-cost providers are listed on EOIR's pro-bono and recognized-

organization rosters.

- **Notario / "immigration consultant" warning.** In much of Latin America a *notario

público* is a licensed attorney; in the U.S. a "notary" is **not** a lawyer and may not

give legal advice or select forms for you. Notario fraud is a leading cause of lost cases

and missed deadlines. A non-attorney who fills in forms for a fee, claims special

government connections, or tells you to hide facts is a red flag — document it

(`consumer-harm-documentation` in the federal plugin can scaffold the record).

- **Language access.** EOIR provides interpreters at hearings at no cost; request the

correct language in advance. Translated documents filed with the court or USCIS need a

**certificate of translation**.

## How to use the rest of this plugin

- **Format / filing mechanics** for immigration court & the BIA → `eoir-immigration-courts`

(the ICPM / BIA Practice Manual conventions and the binding 8 CFR Part 1003 rules).

- **Verify any citation** a draft makes → `immigration-fact-check`.

- **Removal defense filings** (EOIR-28, pleadings to the NTA, continuances, change of

venue, applications for relief) → `eoir-removal-defense`.

- **Reopen or reconsider** a removal order (including in-absentia orders) →

`eoir-motions-to-reopen-reconsider`.

- **Appeal an IJ decision** to the Board → `bia-appeals`.

- **USCIS** cover letters, evidence indexes, RFE/NOID responses → `uscis-benefit-requests`.

- **Visa refused at a consulate** (§ 221(g), § 212(a) ineligibility, waivers) →

`consular-visa-refusal`.

- **Judicial review** of a final removal order → `circuit-petition-for-review`.

## Artifacts this skill drafts

- A **forum / posture worksheet** (which forum(s), A-number, receipt numbers, next dates).

- A **case-location checklist** (EOIR portal, USCIS account, FOIA to pull the file).

- A **deadline triage note** that hands off to `immigration-deadlines`.

## Related authority

- INA (8 U.S.C. ch. 12) — [`../../references/immigration-statutes/`](../../references/immigration-statutes/),

with the INA ↔ 8 U.S.C. crosswalk in its README.

- Representation: **8 CFR Part 1292** / **§ 1003.16** —

[`../../references/immigration-regulations/8CFR-1003-eoir-bia.md`](../../references/immigration-regulations/8CFR-1003-eoir-bia.md)

and [`8CFR-292-representation.md`](../../references/immigration-regulations/8CFR-292-representation.md).

## Composition

Goes first, then routes to the forum-specific skills above. Composes with the state

`*-pro-se` skills (for any parallel state-court matter) and with the federal

`consumer-harm-documentation` skill (to log notario fraud or agency misconduct).