Those who are facing immigration issues in South Florida know how frustrating these cases can be. Many times, immigrants need to go to court for a myriad of reasons. But recently, the high number of immigration cases has created a backlog in Florida courts.
In the United States, there are over 630,000 cases pending in immigration courts. In Florida, there are over 42,000 cases pending, which is the fourth largest behind California, Texas and New York. The wait for a hearing can be years away. In Miami it is as far away as November 2018 and in Orlando it is late 2019. This long wait is making immigration attorneys wonder if their clients will receive due process and the time and attention their clients’ cases may need.
President Trump’s administration has brought an additional 82,000 immigration cases nationally since January due to his immigration policies. This has overloaded the system and causes immigration attorneys to worry that their clients’ circumstances may change during the long delay. For example, those who have U.S. born children under the age of 21 may be eligible to stay but if their children become adults during this waiting period they could be deported. There appears to be no end in sight, causing anxiety for immigrants and their families.
Immigrants who are facing legal issues may need the help of an immigration attorney. Immigration attorneys understand what their clients are going through and can offer suggestions as to what possible paths to take. They can aggressively represent their client with all their legal matters and make sure their voice is heard in court.
Source: Tampa Bay Times, “Backlog of immigration cases stymies immigrants in Florida”, Tony Marrero and Laura C. Morel, Oct. 20, 2017
