In hopes of improving an increasingly log-jammed immigration court system,
the U.S. Department of Justice has deployed 50 immigration judges to
immigrant detention centers
across the country. The goal of this move is to implement Trump’s
campaign promises to speed up deportations and hold immigrants in detention
until they can be deported. Trump also issued an executive order in January
that eliminated the “catch and release” policy that has prevailed
in the immigration court system for years. Under this policy, immigration
judges released immigrants caught without legal status, along with a date
to appear in court. Given the backlog of 550,000 cases, many of the court
dates given to these released immigrants will not occur until years in
the future. The president replaced the “catch and release”
policy with fast-track deportations and the detention of immigrants until
their cases can be heard. The Department of Justice (DOJ) also is reportedly
considering extending the times during which immigration judges hear deportation
cases, with judges working rotating shifts between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00
p.m. The federal government reportedly also intends to ask judges to volunteer
for one to two-month deployments at detention centers. If not enough judges
volunteer, however, the DOJ may assign judges directly to detention centers.
The first 50 judges to volunteer are slated to be deployed to Adelanto,
CA, San Diego, and Chicago, among other large cities. Currently, the majority
of federal immigration judges work from courts across the country. Only
a few judges are typically stationed at detention centers. The Department
of Homeland Security also reportedly has asked the Trump administration
to expand the usage of expedited deportation proceedings for any immigrants
living in the U.S. without legal status for two years or less. Under current
policy, immigration authorities only can use expedited deportation proceedings
for immigrants who have been in the U.S. for two weeks or less. The deportation
defense lawyers of
Landerholm Immigration, A.P.C.
have handled countless deportation defense claims on behalf of individuals
who are charged with removal. We know how devastating it can be for individuals
to face the results of detention and deportation, leaving friends and
family members behind. We care about you and your family, and we want
to help you remain in the country. Call our office as soon as possible
to set up your initial legal consultation.
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If you want to know more about the Biden's Proposed Immigration Reform, watch our video!