MIAMI — A new scheduling tactic has turned the Miami immigration court into a scene of long waits and confusion, with lines stretching across blocks as hundreds arrive for hearings, many for their first time before a judge.
On a recent humid morning, Yerandy Gonzalez paused in disbelief as he inched forward. Nearby, Avene Jeanite, 52, of Haiti, said the crowd was unlike what he saw last month when he accompanied a friend. “You would go to the door and they’d let you in. Today is completely different,” he said.
The delays stem from what officials call “mega master” calendar hearings, a Trump administration approach intended to move cases more quickly. Where judges once handled roughly three dozen cases in a day, dockets now often exceed 100, with dozens of immigrants addressed at once.
Administration officials say the accelerated calendars are necessary to trim a massive backlog. Critics argue the approach rushes people through the system, making it harder to secure counsel and increasing the chance they miss hearings.
“It’s very unfair, but very effective,” said David Wilson, vice chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s immigration court committee. He said clustering so many cases creates logistical problems for courts and leaves immigrants scrambling for legal help, which he said contributes to a higher no-show rate.
A Justice Department spokesperson said reducing the immigration court backlog is a top priority for the administration. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, which oversees the courts, said that as more immigration judges are added, the agency will keep adjusting schedules to ensure cases are handled lawfully and in a timely way.
Data show sharp increases in deportation orders issued in absentia since mega master calendars began, according to the legal tech platform bklg. In July, more than 54,000 people nationwide were ordered removed for missing court, similar to 56,000 in June, a roughly 60 percent jump in recent months.
In Miami, in-absentia orders rose from 1,383 in May to 2,886 in July, a 108 percent increase.
Backlog strains at Miami immigration court
Crammed courtrooms, confusion and frustration
Inside courtroom 24, it was standing room only. Judge Xavier Racine called about 30 people at once, read their rights and reset hearings, in some cases for a month later.
Other judges set new dates as soon as two weeks out. Several factors are swelling the Miami immigration court docket.
Officials are arresting a record monthly number of immigrants, moving up hearings that had been slated for 2027, and requiring appearances in cases that prior administrations treated as lower priority because they were likely to be dismissed.
Yeriné, a 30-year-old Venezuelan mother who asked to be identified by first name because of her pending case, said her hearing was moved from May 2027 to this week. Waiting outside, she worried the sheer volume could cause people to arrive late.
“I see this long line of people and they might not make it on time to their hearings. That scares me,” she said.
Billie Botch, a court observer with the American Friends Service Committee, said the crowded schedules are producing operational problems, with people stuck in line for hours and missing or arriving late to appointments.
“You put more people into proceedings on shorter notice with less resources to go around to argue their case, you’re going to end up with more removal orders,” Botch said.
Similar concerns over immigration enforcement have emerged elsewhere, including as ICE arrests in Connecticut surge, drawing criticism from advocates.