Immigration courts schedule hearings for 100 or more people at once

Immigration courts across the country are scheduling hearings for 100 or more people at a single time slot. The American Immigration Lawyers Association reported the practice in its newsletter last week and said the hearings are intended to speed up deportation orders.

The group stated that immigrants who do not attend can receive removal orders in absentia. It added that the policy raises practical and due process concerns.

Background on court operations Immigration courts operate under the Justice Department through the Executive Office for Immigration Review. Officials have said the backlog exceeds 3 million active cases. Immigration and Customs Enforcement told Congress it plans to deport 1 million people across 2026 and 2027 while maintaining at least 99,000 people in detention on any given day.

Recent policy changes Last year, the administration directed judges to dismiss cases when immigrants appear for hearings, making them subject to immediate arrest. The same directive instructed judges to deny bond requests. More than 100 immigration judges have left their positions over the last year, while the Justice Department hired 77 new judges and five temporary military lawyers in the most recent fiscal year.

The Department of Defense approved the temporary assignment of up to 600 military lawyers to immigration courts. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the administration is committed to restoring the rule of law in the immigration system.