Proposed Civil Money Penalty for Actions in Contempt of an Immigration Judge's Proper Exercise of Authority
What changed
The U.S. Department of Justice's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) has proposed a new regulatory framework that would allow civil money penalties to be imposed on certain people who engage in contemptuous conduct during immigration court proceedings. The proposal was published in the Federal Register on 30 July 2026 and is currently open for public comment until 28 September 2026. If finalised, the rule would establish a formal process under which an Immigration Judge could identify qualifying contemptuous conduct and propose a civil money penalty. The Chief Immigration Judge or designee, rather than the individual Immigration Judge, would impose the penalty. The proposed penalties would be: First contempt order: $1,000–$1,500 Second contempt order: $1,500–$2,500 Subsequent contempt orders: $2,500–$3,500 Important: This is a proposed rule, not an enacted or currently effective rule. The existing rules therefore remain applicable unless and until the Department issues a final rule that changes them.
The detail
Policy history
Proposed Civil Money Penalty for Actions in Contempt of an Immigration Judge's Proper Exercise of AuthorityRelated changes
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