The Biden administration is taking steps to resolve asylum cases more quickly in five major U.S. cities as the crisis at the southern border continues to escalate. The Department of Justice and Homeland Security announced a “Recent Arrivals (RA) Docket process” aimed at resolving cases of illegal immigrant single adults more swiftly. The administration hopes to expedite the deportation of those without valid asylum claims while granting relief and protection to those who do qualify. Due to the enormous backlog in immigration courts, asylum cases can currently take up to seven years to resolve, and the backlog has been increasing in recent years.
The new docket process will operate in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, with the goal of prioritizing cases and deciding them within six months, although circumstances could potentially alter this timeline. The Biden administration is emphasizing the need for funding and system fixes from Congress to address the broken immigration system more comprehensively. DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stressed the importance of accelerating asylum proceedings to facilitate the removal of ineligible individuals more rapidly while providing protection to those eligible for asylum. An accompanying rule will establish the process and standards for immigration judges to speed up case resolutions.
Cities like Chicago and New York have been pressuring the federal government to assist them with the influx of migrants they are facing. Democratic officials in these cities have requested $5 billion in funding, expedited processes for migrants to work, and a national resettlement strategy. New York City Mayor Eric Adams highlighted the impact of the federal government’s actions on the city’s residents, with the situation becoming increasingly untenable. In Chicago, Mayor Brandon Johnson called on the president to extend economic opportunities to undocumented individuals to enable them to build better lives in the city. Mayorkas acknowledged that several million migrants had entered the U.S. under the Biden administration due to hemisphere conditions and systemic issues.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams stirred controversy by proposing that migrants be allowed to work as lifeguards, citing their swimming abilities. His office reported over 197,000 arrivals since 2022 and emphasized the importance of allowing individuals to work. The calls for the federal government to address the immigration crisis are becoming more urgent as cities grapple with the impact of the influx of migrants. Mayors are not only seeking financial assistance but also expedited processes to assist migrants in settling and contributing to their new communities. The Biden administration’s efforts to streamline asylum case resolutions are viewed as a step in the right direction, but long-term solutions and reforms to the immigration system are still needed in order to address the root causes of the crisis at the southern border.
