US immigration judges told to slash time given to people awaiting visas or green cards before being deported
Exclusive: Mandatory training for judges also urged them to threaten attorneys who accept too many cases
TL;DR
- US immigration judges are being instructed to reduce the time granted to immigrants awaiting visas or green cards, increasing their risk of deportation.
- The training materials suggest judges should limit continuances, a legal tool used to provide more time for case building or waiting for documentation.
- This directive impacts vulnerable groups like abused children and crime survivors.
- Judges are also reportedly discouraged from giving immigrants more than 10 days to find legal representation.
- The training aims to expedite case completion, citing a large backlog of immigration court cases.
- Critics fear this crackdown will negatively affect immigrants with valid cases.
- The Justice Department states it is working to reduce the immigration court backlog and restore integrity to the system.
- The training materials warn that attorneys taking too many cases may face disciplinary action.