Immigration Courts Face Massive Backlog Amid ICE Enforcement
The knock on the door was not from Immigration and Customs Enforcement. U.S. Marshals, who last week breached the door of a home in Elgin, Illinois, looking for Jose Ramos, a 26-year-old wanted on several outstanding criminal charges – including attempted murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm, according to authorities.
A Family’s Concerns
His sisters, Bethzy and Janeth Lopez, say he hasn’t lived there in months. As law enforcement searched the house, they didn’t find their brother and ended up apprehending their father, 44-year-old Raul Lopez Garcia. "We were confused because he wasn’t the guy they were looking for, the guy they were looking for doesn’t live here," Bethzy Lopez told NBC 5 Investigates’ Bennett Haeberle.
From ICE to Immigration Courts
U.S. Marshals told NBC 5 Investigates while Lopez Garcia was not their intended target, the operation morphed into an ICE case, with the Marshals’ service saying there was a delay answering the door and that they found Lopez Garcia hiding in the attic. He was apprehended after they discovered he was undocumented, according to Belkis Sandoval with the U.S. Marshals.
The Impact on Immigration Courts
The family says Lopez Garcia has four children – all born in Illinois – and that he has been in the United States for a combined total of more than 20 years. "He takes care of our whole family. He is the one that works for us; he’s the one in charge of us, so it is a little scary," Bethzy Lopez said. "We don’t know what’s going to happen, we don’t know if we are going to be able to see him again."
The System is Overwhelmed
As of 2023, the immigration court system is facing an estimated backlog of more than 3.7 million cases, according to a Syracuse University database that tracks immigration courts. Chicago immigration attorney Chris Kurczaba says President’s Trump calls for increased immigration enforcement will likely add to the system already underwater.
Experts Weigh In
Kurczaba says, "The system is definitely overwhelmed. And it’s overwhelmed in the big cities. So, Chicago, New York, Los Angeles." He also notes, "I think it’s an interesting situation because you have a lot of people who are going to be in the system – are going to be added to the system. So, there will certainly be an impact and certain courts are definitely feeling the pain. And their timelines are getting longer and longer."
Adding Judges Won’t Solve the Problem
A 2023 study by the Congressional Research Service shows the current backlog is so immense that adding another 300 judges wouldn’t clear it for 10 years. In fact, the same study showed it would take an additional 700 judges – or more than 1,300 all told – to clear the backlog by 2032.
Conclusion
The immigration court system is facing a massive backlog, with experts warning that President Trump’s calls for increased immigration enforcement will only exacerbate the problem. The system is overwhelmed, with long waiting times and uncertainty for those involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the current backlog of immigration cases?
The current backlog is estimated to be over 3.7 million cases, according to a Syracuse University database. - How will President Trump’s calls for increased immigration enforcement affect the system?
Experts warn that it will add to the existing backlog and overwhelm the system. - How many judges would it take to clear the backlog?
According to a 2023 study by the Congressional Research Service, it would take an additional 700 judges – or more than 1,300 all told – to clear the backlog by 2032.
