Chicago immigration court sees sharp rise in removal orders amid large-scale hearings

CHICAGO (WLS) -- More people received removal orders from Chicago's immigration court last month than anywhere else in the country, according to court watchers and data tracked by BKLG.org. The increase coincides with the emergence of what advocates and observers describe as "Mega Master" hearings, in which large numbers of people are scheduled to appear at the same time.

Thursday morning, 125 people were summoned to a single courtroom.

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"Its chaotic. There are people in the hallways. They are trying to figure out where to go. It's not a big space," said Sam Cole, an ACLU attorney and former immigration judge who left the bench at the beginning of last year.

Cole says the current situation is unlike anything he previously experienced.

"People miss their court not only because they didn't receive notice at all, but even if they are here they sometimes miss court because they just don't end up in the right place at the right time."

It is not clear why, but immigration court watchers say they started noticing this happening in May.

"Sometimes it's over 100 people. We've seen an instance when there were over 200 people on the list," said Katie Curtin of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

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Advocates and legal observers say the large calendars have contributed to missed appointments as people's hearings have been rescheduled on short-notice. Those who do not appear for their hearings can be ordered removed.

According to BKLG.org, 6,012 people in Chicago were ordered removed in absentia during June, more than in any other city in the country. The figure compares with 1,267 such orders in February.

"Given delays in mail many people are finding out they have a removal order at the same time they're finding out they had a hearing in the first place," says Benjamin Levey with the National Immigrant Justice Center.

"It's by design. This is on purpose to try and deport people as quickly as possible without due process," said Diana Rashid of The Resurrection Project.

A Justice Department spokesperson denies that. "Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for this administration," they said.

That spokesperson also said immigration courts are prepared to handle larger hearings without compromising due process and that removal orders are issued only after a judge determines proper notice was given.

Despite the increase in removal orders, a substantial backlog remains nationwide. As of late last month, more than 3 million active cases were still pending before immigration courts across the country.

A Department of Justice spokesperson provided the following statement:
"The Biden Administration allowed millions of unvetted migrants into our communities and intentionally turned a blind eye to hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied alien children in need of care. Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for this administration. The Justice Department is restoring integrity to our immigration system by hearing cases fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly, in accordance with the law."

An Executive Office for Immigration Review spokesperson provided the following statement:
"The Executive Office for Immigration Review prioritizes the timely completion of all cases, including those of unaccompanied alien children, and makes scheduling adjustments as needed to ensure cases do not languish. Unnecessary delay hurts both aliens with meritorious claims and the American public who wish to see aliens with non-meritorious claims removed as quickly as possible. As it continues to add new immigration judges, EOIR will continue to make scheduling adjustments to ensure all cases are handled in a timely and lawful manner."