The Executive Office for Immigration Review announced that it is opening a new Immigration Court in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (EOIR Press Release, September 2, 2025).

General Information About the Baton Rouge Immigration Court

The EOIR states that the Baton Rouge Immigration Court will open on October 20, 2025.

The Court address is:

  • Baton Rouge Immigration Court
  • 451 Florida Street, Suite 500
  • Baton Rouge, LA 70801

The Court will operate from 8 AM to 4:30 PM on weekdays. Its telephone number is 225-412-5950.

What This Means For Individuals in Court Proceedings?

The EOIR will reassign some existing cases in Louisiana to the Baton Rouge Immigration Court. There are three other Immigration Courts in Louisiana: LaSalle, New Orleans, and Oakdale (List of Immigration Courts).

It states that all affected parties will be provided notice by the Court. Individuals with questions before the Baton Rouge Immigration Court opens on October 20 may call the New Orleans Immigration Court at 504-589-3992.

What is the Jurisdiction of the Baton Rouge Immigration Court?

Louisiana falls within the Federal appellate jurisdiction of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, along with Texas and Mississippi. This means that it will be bound by the precedents of the Fifth Circuit along with those of the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Plans for Baton Rouge Immigration Court Date Back to 2024

The Department of Justice had been looking to open an Immigration Court in Baton Rouge for at least a year. In April 2024, a local outlet in Louisiana reported that the Department of Justice sent an email to Immigration Judges (IJs) looking for IJs who were open to relocating to a new Court in Baton Rouge (WBRZ, April 5, 2025).

Conclusion

The opening of the Baton Rouge Immigration Court is part of the Department of Justice’s effort to hear more immigration cases and reduce the substantial backlog of cases in the immigration court system. We recently published an article on plans to add hundreds of Temporary Immigration Judges to the bench. Individuals with pending cases in Louisiana should ensure that the EOIR has their current contact information to ensure that they are made aware of any changes to the venue of their proceedings. Individuals who are represented should also be made aware of any changes by their attorneys.