Key Takeaways
• Indianapolis Immigration Court opened January 2025 but faces severe staffing shortages affecting nearly all operations.
• Attorneys report that court phones go unanswered for weeks, and case paperwork faces significant delays.
• The court risks relocation due to potential Minton-Capehart Federal Building closure, increasing uncertainty for immigrants.
The Indianapolis Immigration Court, which officially opened its doors in January 2025, represents a major change for immigration law in Indiana 🇺🇸. Its opening brought hope to many immigration attorneys and their clients, who once faced long trips to Chicago 🇺🇸 for court hearings. Still, several months after the court began operating, lawyers and others connected to the immigration system are voicing real concerns over its day-to-day operations. The most pressing issue so far is a clear staffing shortage, which has affected nearly every part of the court’s work.
Court Opens with High Hopes
The court is located in the Minton-Capehart Federal Building in downtown Indianapolis. It is the first full immigration court in the state’s history. Before it was set up, anyone in Indiana who had to see an immigration judge needed to travel to Chicago, which is several hours away by car. The hope was that this local court would save people time and money, allowing them to fight their cases closer to home and avoid the burden of cross-state travel. According to VisaVerge.com’s investigation, this was expected to help countless families who already face enough challenges dealing with their immigration status.
The Indianapolis Immigration Court is staffed by seven immigration judges. This was meant to help chip away at the backlog of over three million cases waiting for attention across the United States 🇺🇸. With Indiana’s growing population and more immigration cases each year, local attorneys and their clients welcomed the new court, expecting quicker court dates and better access to justice.
Frustrations Emerge Over Staffing Shortages
Almost immediately, however, problems became clear. The most serious is the court’s lack of staff. Experienced immigration attorneys have spoken openly about how this affects their work and, more importantly, their ability to help clients. Vicki Fortino, an attorney with Hocker Law in Indianapolis, summed up the issue, saying, “If you call the Indianapolis immigration court, you could call every day, every hour for the next two weeks and no one will answer.” This simple fact shows just how big the staffing shortage really is.
Sarah Burrow, who directs Lewis & Kappes and leads the Indiana chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, backed this up. She said she was only aware of one staff person working in the court. With so many people needing help—immigrants, lawyers, judges, and even government attorneys—a lone staff member is just not enough.
Why Staffing Shortage Matters
What does a lack of staff actually mean for people using the Indianapolis Immigration Court? For one, attorneys cannot get help quickly when they need it, whether that’s for checking on a client’s case or for simple questions about paperwork. Some motions—the legal requests attorneys make—must be accepted and processed by court workers in person. With very few people available, these filings pile up, causing long waits before cases can move forward.
Delays like this do not just hurt attorneys. They cause real problems for the people going through the immigration system. These include:
– Immigrants waiting longer to have their case heard
– Families uncertain about whether they can stay together
– People spending more time with their lives on hold, unable to work or study while their status is unknown
For attorneys, these delays make it much harder to help clients and do their job well. The court’s phone line, meant to be a simple way to get answers, often goes unanswered for weeks.
Operations Remain “Touch-and-Go”
Attorneys have described working with the court as “a little touch-and-go.” The term means there is no steady flow or guarantee that things will happen as planned. When a court does not have enough workers, other problems quickly follow. Some examples from Indianapolis so far include:
- Hearings are still being held over video—even though there’s a new local court in the city. Lawyers and clients hoped these would happen in person.
- The government attorneys, who argue against immigrant clients in hearings, are not based in Indianapolis. They call in from other places, which can make the process feel less connected and more impersonal.
- The building is hard to find for some people. Directions inside the courthouse are only in English. In Chicago 🇺🇸, by contrast, the signs are in several languages, making it easier for immigrants from all over the world to find their way.
- Not all Indiana residents actually have their court hearings in Indianapolis yet. Some still have their cases listed in the old Chicago location, even after the new court opened.
For families and attorneys who waited years for a local immigration court, these ongoing issues are disappointing. The lack of in-person hearings can make it hard for attorneys to best represent their clients, and for judges to really hear the cases before them.
The Human Side: Judges Praised, System Strained
While the operational problems are serious, attorneys have spoken well of the judges assigned to the Indianapolis Immigration Court. Vicki Fortino said, “They all seem to be fair and listen to the case and work with us.” This is important because a judge’s willingness to listen can make a big difference in how people feel about the process—even if delays and other headaches remain.
This also shows that the main problems are not about a lack of effort from those working in the court, but rather a staffing issue. When a court with seven judges only has one or two staff members, everyone—from the judge to the immigrant family—ends up having to wait.
The Long Backlog and Why the Court Opened
It’s important to remember why the Indianapolis Immigration Court opened in the first place. Across the United States 🇺🇸, there are more than three million immigration cases waiting to be heard. Many people wait months or even years for a judge. In Indiana, before January 2025, the nearest immigration court was in Chicago. Every attorney, client, and family member had to travel hours for a hearing—costing time, money, and sometimes income.
The new court was meant to make it easier and quicker for Indiana residents to attend their hearings. It was designed to cut down on the stress, travel costs, and long waits associated with the immigration process. For more details about how the court is structured and who the judges are, you can visit the official government page for the Indianapolis Immigration Court.
Trouble with Future: Will the Court Have to Move?
As if the current problems were not enough, there is now worry about the court’s future. In March 2025, news came out that the Minton-Capehart Federal Building—where the Indianapolis Immigration Court is located—might be closed or sold. It’s part of a larger U.S. government plan to look at federal properties across the country and decide which ones may no longer be needed.
If the building closes or is sold, the court and other agencies inside would need to move. This could add more confusion for everyone who uses the court. They may not know where to go for their hearings, or how to find their case in the changing system. It could also slow down an already slow process, making the backlog even worse.
What This Means for Immigrants and Attorneys
The main impact of these ongoing problems falls on immigrants and their attorneys. When there is not enough staff to get paperwork filed, answer phone calls, or help people find their way, the whole process slows down. This can cause:
- Missed deadlines for important court paperwork
- Longer waits for hearings and decisions
- Extra travel if people are sent back to the Chicago court by mistake
- Uncertainty about where future hearings will take place if the courthouse moves
For immigration attorneys, this makes it harder to represent their clients and prepare for hearings. They must spend more time just trying to get simple answers, instead of focusing on legal arguments or helping families prepare for their day in court.
Attorneys who take pride in helping immigrants get a fair shake in the legal system find these problems upsetting and, at times, difficult to work around. Many feel that the promise of a new, easy-to-access court in Indianapolis has not been fully delivered, mostly because of the ongoing staffing shortage.
Broader Context: The National Picture
Indiana is not the only place dealing with a backlog and operational troubles. Across the United States 🇺🇸, immigration courts everywhere are swamped. The reasons include:
- Rising numbers of new immigration cases every year
- Limited budgets for hiring new staff and judges
- Complicated rules and policies that can change with each new administration
Many other courts have also been slow to hire enough workers, while the number of cases continues to grow. This makes the experience at the Indianapolis Immigration Court similar to what many bigger cities are facing—but it is especially tough for residents who waited so long to get a local solution.
Possible Solutions
What could fix these problems? Several ideas have come up, both locally and across the country:
- Hire more staff quickly so paperwork gets handled in a timely way
- Provide better phone support to answer questions from attorneys and immigrants
- Offer directions and signs in more than just English so everyone can find their way in the courthouse
- Ensure that all Indiana-based cases are actually heard in Indianapolis, not Chicago
- Plan ahead for what happens if the building closes, including clear communication with immigrants and attorneys
None of these would be easy or cheap. It takes budget increases and commitment at the highest government levels. Still, most immigration attorneys in Indiana believe that without quick action, the backlog and confusion will only get worse.
In-Person Hearings: A Missed Benefit?
The lack of in-person hearings so far has also drawn criticism. Many lawyers say that seeing a judge face-to-face is better for everyone. It helps attorneys speak up for their clients, and it lets judges better judge the trustworthiness and honesty of people before them.
Conducting most hearings virtually, even after the court opened, leaves some feeling that the promise of local justice has not yet been realized for Indianapolis. Remote hearings can make it harder for non-English speakers, for young children, and for people who do not have good internet or phone access.
The Important Role of Immigration Attorneys
In a court system overwhelmed by cases, immigration attorneys play a very important role. They help people understand the process, meet legal deadlines, and present their cases in the best way possible. When the court is understaffed, immigration attorneys often end up doing extra work just to keep cases moving.
Attorneys in Indiana have gone on record with their concerns, both to local news and to organizations like the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Their feedback will be key to any improvements made in the months ahead.
The Bottom Line
The Indianapolis Immigration Court was meant to make the immigration process easier for Indiana 🇺🇸 residents. It opened after years of waiting, with the promise of less travel and quicker help for immigrants facing life-changing decisions.
However, as reported by VisaVerge.com and supported by the voices of local attorneys, a serious staffing shortage has caused major problems. Paperwork piles up, phone calls go unanswered, and important hearings are still held remotely. If that wasn’t enough, the possible sale of the building creates new worries for everyone involved.
The path forward is not yet clear, but what is certain is that this court—and the people it serves—deserve faster answers, better service, and a real chance at justice close to home. For more information about current operations or how to contact the Indianapolis Immigration Court, visit the official U.S. Department of Justice page.
The road to a fully functioning local court has begun, but more resources, support, and planning are needed to make Indiana’s immigration system work for everyone. The stakes—for immigrants, their families, and their attorneys—could not be higher.
Learn Today
Backlog → A large number of immigration cases waiting to be resolved, causing significant delays in the court system.
Immigration Judge → A legal official who hears and decides immigration cases in court, affecting individuals’ legal status.
Motion → A formal legal request filed by attorneys for a specific action or decision by the court.
Remote Hearing → A court proceeding conducted virtually, through video or phone, instead of in-person attendance.
Administrative Staff → Non-judicial employees responsible for processing paperwork, answering communications, and handling daily court operations.
This Article in a Nutshell
Indianapolis’ new immigration court, opened in January 2025, promised relief for Indiana families. However, severe staff shortages have caused frustrating delays in cases and communications. Most hearings remain remote, administrative problems persist, and uncertainty looms over the building’s future—leaving attorneys and immigrants still waiting for real solutions and improved access to justice.
— By VisaVerge.com
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