There are approximately 3.6 million cases backlogged in the U.S. immigration courts. These are cases of people slated for deportation or seeking asylum. But having those cases ruled on has gotten more difficult and will take even more time after the Trump administration fired a number of immigration judges and others in the immigration court system.
Five immigration judges were recently fired across Texas. That means at least 2,500 fewer cases will be heard each year. It’s estimated each immigration judge handles an average of 500 to 700 cases each year.
As of last week, 42 of the nation’s 700 immigration judges have been fired or agreed to leave just since Trump took office in January. Without them, some 10,000 deportation hearings will no longer be held this year.
This seems to counter the campaign promises that Donald Trump made while running for president. He said he wanted to accelerate deportations. However, reporting indicates that Trump could be plotting to sidestep the immigration courts entirely.
The Trump administration is reportedly planning to expel immigrants who legally entered the United States through parole programs with “expedited removal,” a fast-track form of deportation without due process.
An ICE email first reported by The Washington Post and published by Reuters provides more details, arguing that immigrants who are paroled into the United States and then lose that status can be immediately deported even if they have been living in the United States for more than two years. The Trump administration is considering whether to subject Ukrainians to this process as well as Haitians, Venezuelans, and Nicaraguans.
Guest:
Isabela Dias is a reporter for Mother Jones and has been covering immigration.
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