Washington: In an effort to expeditiously resolve immigration cases of certain non-citizen single adults who attempt to cross irregularly between ports of entry at the Southwest border, Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, and Attorney General Merrick B. Garland have announced a new Recent Arrivals (RA) Docket process.
The RA Docket will operate in five cities: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City. Immigration judges will aim to render final decisions within 180 days.
The move will allow DHS and DOJ to more swiftly impose consequences, including removal, on those without a legal basis to remain in the United States and to more swiftly grant immigration relief or protections to noncitizens with valid claims, the Department said in a statement.
“We are instituting with the Department of Justice a process to accelerate asylum proceedings so that individuals who do not qualify for relief can be removed more quickly and those who do qualify can achieve protection sooner,” said Mayorkas.
“This administrative step is no substitute for the sweeping and much-needed changes that the bipartisan Senate bill would deliver, but in the absence of Congressional action, we will do what we can to most effectively enforce the law and discourage irregular migration,” Mayorkas added.
The Justice Department also submitted to the Federal Register a final rule to promote efficient case and docket management in immigration proceedings.
“The Justice Department’s immigration courts are committed to the just and efficient enforcement of the immigration laws,” said Garland.
“These measures will advance that mission by helping to ensure that immigration cases are adjudicated promptly and fairly.”
In the current immigration system, noncitizens arriving at the U.S. Southwest border often wait years before receiving a final decision in an immigration court proceeding.
Insufficient resources, including insufficient immigration judges and attorneys, has impeded the swift resolution of claims, and extended the length of the immigration court process, according to the Department.
“The Departments continue to call on Congress to take up and pass the Senate’s bipartisan border security legislation, which if passed would provide DHS and DOJ with additional authorities and resources that are critically needed,” the DHS said in a statement.
These resources include more immigration judges, additional asylum officers and support staff, and needed authorities to more quickly adjudicate asylum cases of those arriving at our border, including by granting protection to those with valid claims, and removing those without a lawful basis to remain.
“Congress should take up and pass this legislation to fix our broken immigration system,” said the DHS.
