According to a recent Reuters article, Attorney General Jeff Sessions has announced that the Trump administration is taking steps to add more prosecutors and immigration judges to help process the immigrants arriving at the Mexican border. Reportedly, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is sending 35 assistant U.S. attorneys and 18 immigration law judges to the border to help deal with a growing backlog of immigration cases. The new positions are located in Texas, California, Arizona, and New Mexico, although some immigration judges will participate via video-conferencing; seven of those supervising judges are placed along the Mexican border in the state of Texas. This is about a 50% increase from the current number of immigration judges actively hearing cases in immigration court.
The most recent encampment of over 100 people seeking entrance to the U.S. at the San Ysidro pedestrian bridge between Mexico and California. This encampment is part of a larger “caravan” of about 1,500 migrants traveling across Mexico to enter the U.S. These immigrants mostly are from Central America, including Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador. From the most recent encampment, immigration authorities have allowed 74 individuals, who are mostly women, children, and transgender, through the border to seek asylum. The DOJ also has launched federal prosecutions against 11 suspected members of the caravan.
Caravans of hundreds of people from Central America have been traveling through Mexico to reach the U.S.-Mexican border since 2008. However, this activity has gone largely unnoticed until now. Trump has used the most recent caravan as justification for ramping up security along the U.S.-Mexican border, including the deployment of U.S. National Guard members to provide a military presence and “secure” the border.
If you or your family is facing deportation or another type of immigration law issue, we may be able to help. As experienced Texas immigration attorneys, we have the knowledge needed to help you navigate through the often-complex process of immigration court proceedings. Call us today at (512) 399-2311 and schedule an appointment with one of our deportation defense lawyers, and learn how we can assist you.