Immigration Courts Make Dent In Backlog Of Cases, But Remain Overwhelmed By Border Crisis

REUTERS/Veronica G. Cardenas

The federal agency tasked with processing migrant asylum claims completed the second highest number of cases in history, but the tremendous backlog is still overwhelming the U.S. immigration system.

The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced that it completed more than 275,000 cases for fiscal year 2019, which ended on Sept. 30. Not only is this number an increase of about 80,000 case completions from the previous fiscal year, but it marks the second highest completions in the agency’s entire history, according to an EOIR statement released Thursday.

While EOIR applauded the progress, it reminded the public that the crisis will not wane unless lawmakers in Washington, D.C., pass legislative reforms.

Immigration Judges Need 2 Tools to Cut Caseload

“Our immigration courts are doing everything in their power to efficiently adjudicate immigration cases while respecting due process rights, but efficient adjudication alone cannot resolve the crisis at the border,” EOIR Director James McHenry said in a statement. “While EOIR is doing an unprecedented job adjudicating cases fairly and expeditiously, the nearly one million case backlog will continue to grow unless Congress acts to address the crisis at the border.”

The latest numbers come as the U.S. immigration system continues to try to stay afloat amid an unprecedented wave of family units and minors appearing at the southern border and immediately lodging asylum claims.

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Immigration Judges Need 2 Tools to Cut Caseload

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