Otero Immigration Court in New Mexico: Three New Judges and the Federal Lawsuit Over the State's Detention Law
Immigration court: Otero Immigration Court
On August 27, 2026, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced that Joseph Q. Andelin had been appointed as an immigration judge at the Otero Immigration Court in Chaparral, New Mexico. He is the third new immigration judge EOIR has assigned to Otero since June 2026. The source is EOIR's August 27, 2026 announcement (opens in new tab). Separately, on May 8, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice sued the State of New Mexico over a state law that, according to the United States, would end civil immigration detention at the Otero County Processing Center.
This article is general information, not legal advice. It reports what EOIR and the Justice Department published. It does not describe or evaluate any judge, and it does not take a side in the lawsuit.
Three new judges at the Otero Immigration Court
Each entry comes from EOIR's own biographical announcement.
- Kirk Williams: began hearing cases in June 2026. Prior post, per EOIR: assistant U.S. attorney, District of New Mexico, in Las Cruces. EOIR announcement: June 17, 2026 (opens in new tab).
- Benjamin S. Kuipers: appointed in July 2026. Prior post, per EOIR: temporary immigration judge at the Phoenix Immigration Court, February to July 2026. EOIR announcement: July 29, 2026 (opens in new tab).
- Joseph Q. Andelin: appointed in August 2026. Prior post, per EOIR: temporary immigration judge since February 2026. EOIR announcement: August 27, 2026 (opens in new tab).
EOIR's Otero Immigration Court page (opens in new tab), last updated September 22, 2026, lists six immigration judges: Joseph Q. Andelin, Ralph E. Girvin Jr., Benjamin S. Kuipers, Jacinto Palomino, Kirk Williams and Samuel G. Williams. Assignments change, so check that page for the current bench.
The court and the detention center
EOIR gives the court's address as 26 McGregor Range Road, Door #1, Chaparral, NM 88081, and says it is located at the Otero Detention Center, about a 40-minute drive from El Paso, with no public transportation. Public hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and window filing hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday except federal holidays.
EOIR's operational status page (opens in new tab) listed the Otero Immigration Court as OPEN when we checked. Our Otero Immigration Court page collects the court details, detention and bond information.
The federal lawsuit over New Mexico's HB9
On May 8, 2026, the Justice Department announced (opens in new tab) that the United States had filed a complaint and a motion for a preliminary injunction against the State of New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Attorney General Raul Torrez, the City of Albuquerque and Albuquerque Mayor Timothy Keller. The case is United States v. State of New Mexico et al., No. 1:26-cv-01471, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico.
The suit challenges New Mexico House Bill 9 (HB9), the "Immigrant Safety Act," and an Albuquerque ordinance, O-26-15. According to the United States' motion for a preliminary injunction (opens in new tab):
- Otero County has provided civil immigration detention services to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) since 2008, under successive agreements. The latest became effective on March 16, 2026.
- The Otero County Processing Center "houses up to 1,096 male and female detainees."
- The Governor signed HB9 on February 5, 2026, "to take effect on May 20, 2026."
- The United States says HB9 seeks to ban the Otero–ICE agreement and to prohibit the use of the facility for civil immigration detention.
The Justice Department's release quotes the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico: "by barring public entities from participating in federal immigration detention in New Mexico, HB9 jeopardizes nearly 300 jobs and the economy of Otero County." The United States asks the court to declare the laws invalid and to block their enforcement, relying on the Constitution's Supremacy and Contract Clauses.
These are the positions of the United States. The release itself states that the claims "are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability." This article does not report any ruling or later outcome; check the court docket for developments after May 8, 2026.
What this means if you have a case at Otero
- Read your latest hearing notice and check the case in EOIR's Automated Case Information portal (opens in new tab) with the A-number. It shows the next hearing and which court has the case.
- If a detained person is moved, check the portal again to confirm which court now has the case, and use ICE's online detainee locator to find where the person is held.
- File at the correct court. Filings go to the court that has the case.
- Keep the address current. A person in removal proceedings must report a new address within five days on Form EOIR-33 (8 CFR 1003.15(d)(2)).
- Ask about bond and detention early. Whether a judge can hear a bond request depends on how the person entered and on the detention statute that applies. See our page on immigration detention.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the new judges at the Otero Immigration Court?
EOIR announced Kirk Williams (June 2026), Benjamin S. Kuipers (July 2026) and Joseph Q. Andelin (August 2026). EOIR's Otero court page lists the current bench.
Is the Otero Immigration Court open?
EOIR's operational status page listed it as open when we checked. Closures are posted on that page.
What is the lawsuit about?
The United States sued New Mexico and Albuquerque on May 8, 2026, claiming that HB9 and an Albuquerque ordinance interfere with federal immigration enforcement, including detention at the Otero County Processing Center. The claims are allegations; no ruling is reported here.
Does the lawsuit change my hearing date?
The filing itself does not change any hearing date. Your hearing notice and the court's orders in your case control. Check the EOIR portal before every hearing.
If you or a family member has a case at the Otero Immigration Court, you can discuss your situation with Carlos Maury, former U.S. Immigration Judge, at (213) 769-0050. Hablamos Español.
Related service: Immigration bond lawyer