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What does the do?

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The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is a subdivision of the Department of Justice responsible for adjudicating immigration cases by interpreting and administering immigration laws. The agency conducts immigration court proceedings, appellate reviews, and administrative hearings. It aims to ensure the fair and uniform application of immigration laws. It was established in 1983.

In FY 2024,

$949M

was spent by the Executive Office for Immigration Review
In FY 2024,

2.2%

of Dept. of Justice spending was by the Executive Office for Immigration Review

How much does the Executive Office for Immigration Review spend?

The Executive Office for Immigration Review spent a net total of $949.1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2024. This was 2.2% of the $44 billion spent by the Department of Justice, which itself was 0.6% of all federal spending. The EOIR ranked 7th among DOJ subdivisions in net spending.
Net spending is the difference between agency spending and any financial accounts generating funds from the agency’s own activities, like fees or rent. When these funds offset all spending, net spending appears negative. Some agencies tend to operate with positive net spending while others will register negative net spending sometimes or often.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review ranked 7th among Department of Justice divisions in net spending in 2024.

DOJ net spending by division, FY 2024

Like the overall federal budget, agency spending may shift over time due to population growth, changes in policy and programs, and emerging problems to address. Adjusting for inflation, the Executive Office for Immigration Review’s federal spending has increased from $92.6 million in 1995 to $949.1 million in 2024.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review’s federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1995.

Yearly federal net spending by EOIR, adjusted for inflation (2024 dollars), FYs 1995–2024

Since 1995, the Executive Office for Immigration Review's spending has increased 924.8%, while overall spending has increased 115.2%.
As a percentage of the overall federal budget, a positive number means agency net spending made up some positive share of total federal spending; a negative number means that net generated funds offset a portion of total spending. EOIR spending grew more than overall federal spending since 1995, which means that its share of the federal budget increased. In 2024, EOIR accounted for 0.014% of overall federal spending.

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Major legislation, internal or global economic conditions, and acute events like the COVID-19 pandemic can affect spending year to year. For example, the federal budget fluctuated during the pandemic, rising from $5.3 trillion (in 2023 dollars) in 2019 to $7.7 trillion in 2020 and $7.8 trillion in 2021.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review’s share of federal spending in FY 2024 was higher than in FY 1995.

Net spending by EOIR as a share of federal spending, FYs 1995–2024

Most federal spending can be categorized as direct or indirect. Direct spending refers to money the federal government spends on budget items such as federal programs, employee salaries, and debt interest. Indirect spending refers to federal transfers to state and local governments.
In FY 2024, all of the Executive Office for Immigration Review's spending was direct.
The chart below outlines all net EOIR spending.

How did the Executive Office for Immigration Review spend its budget in 2024?

Federal government net spending isolated to EOIR, FY 2024

How many people work for the Executive Office for Immigration Review?

Some 2,716 of the 2.31 million total civilian federal employees work for the Executive Office for Immigration Review as of September 2024. This is 82.8% more people than the division staffed in 2010.

The number of federal employees working for the Executive Office for Immigration Review has increased 82.8% since 2010.

Number of federal employees working for EOIR, September 2010–2024

The Executive Office for Immigration Review accounts for 0.1% of the overall federal workforce. As the number of federal employees has changed, so too has the way the workforce is organized, with resources allocated to agencies depending on government priorities. The division constituted a larger share of the overall federal workforce in September 2024 compared to 2010 (0.07%).
While the number of employees on an agency’s payroll contributes to that agency’s expenditures, some agencies have relatively few employees compared to their budget or vice versa, giving them an outsized share of either the budget or the workforce. According to the most recent data, the Executive Office for Immigration Review's share of the workforce (0.1%) is larger than its share of the budget (0.014%).

Who leads the Executive Office for Immigration Review?

The EOIR is led by a Director. This individual is appointed to the position and does not need Senate approval. There is no fixed term for this position.

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.

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