Immigration Courts Advance Master Calendar Hearings to Earlier Dates
Some immigration courts have moved master calendar hearings scheduled for July or later to earlier dates, sometimes consolidating dozens of cases into single sessions. Attorneys report dockets of 80 to 100 cases in one hearing. The Executive Office for Immigration Review said it is prioritizing timely case completion.
america.cgtn.comImmigration attorneys report that some courts are advancing master calendar hearings originally set for July or later, sometimes combining dozens of cases into single proceedings. Master calendar hearings are the first appearance in deportation cases, where individuals learn their rights and the charges against them.
Attorneys say the larger sessions, which they call "mega masters," have included as many as 100 cases on one docket.
Hearing Changes Reported Attorney Joseph M. Perez described a hearing in Annandale, Virginia, where the judge stated there were 100 cases on the docket. He said typical master calendar hearings involve 10 to 15 cases. Attorney Briana Carlson said a client's July hearing in Virginia was moved forward without prior notice.
She said a clerk at an immigration court in Sterling, Virginia, told her the court had received a nationwide directive to advance hearings scheduled for July or later.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association has issued guidance urging attorneys to monitor online calendars for rescheduled hearings. Vanessa Dojaquez-Torres of the association said consolidated hearings raise concerns that individuals without attorneys may miss appearances and receive removal orders.
Earlier this month the administration proposed raising the fee for removal orders issued in absentia from $5,130 to $18,000. The notice stated the increase is intended to reimburse ICE for enforcement costs.
