President-elect Donald Trump faces several hurdles with his proposal for mass deportations, including a large backlog in immigration court.
Before anyone can be deported, federal law requires they have a final order of removal issued by an immigration court. Courts are underfunded and understaffed, Time magazine reported, leading to wait times that could last years.
There are 3.6 million cases pending before immigration judges, a 44% increase from the 2.5 million cases pending the year before, Time reported.
Immigration courts are part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review, under a subsection of the Justice Department. The office oversees about 700 immigration judges who decide who gets deported, Time said.
A bipartisan immigration deal that was scuttled by Trump's opposition to it would've added more immigration judges.
With Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, the incoming Trump administration has advocated for legislation that would increase the number of immigration officers and border agents, Time reported, to help detain more immigrants. The deportation system is sped up for people in custody, according to Trump.
Tom Homan, Trump's incoming border czar, has said he wants Congress to approve funding for at least 100,000 detention beds and more officers to assist with deportations.
"A secure border saves lives. That's exactly what we're going to do and start on day one," Homan told Newsmax's "Wake Up America."
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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