Recently arrived immigrants in Florida may undergo fast-tracking under a dedicated docket, which was established early in 2021 by the Biden Administration. While that may sound better than waiting an average of four years to have an immigration case resolved, some immigrants may find that they do not have sufficient time to build a case to stay in the United States.
What is happening under the fast-track docket?
Under this dedicated docket for immigrant families seeking asylum in the United States, about 35 of 550 U.S immigration judges are currently hearing fast-track cases. The idea is to start removing the backlog of immigration cases and bring order to the southern U.S. border, which has dealt with an unusually high number of migrants in 2021. Another idea behind the dedicated docket is reportedly to discourage other immigrants from taking advantage of the enormous backlog, giving them years to live in the United States without an asylum case.
Some immigrants face additional risks
While at least 100 cases have reached an initial decision, according to the Executive Office for Immigration Review, many immigrants are having difficulty building cases to stay in the United States. Similar fast-track programs occurred under the Obama and Trump administrations, resulting in the deportation of many would-be immigrants. Although the new fast-track docket is part of what President Biden calls a “humane immigration system,” many foreign nationals worry that they will end up back in their home countries with no recourse.
The importance of building a case
Although Biden Administration officials have indicated that this fast-track docket system is fair with immigrants referred to pro-bono lawyers to work on their cases, not all immigrants are able to gather enough evidence to avoid deportation. Anyone looking to remain in the United States on a political asylum claim needs to build a strong case that conforms to immigration rules.
