HARLINGEN, TX – In a move that highlights the growing chaos at our borders, the White House is calling on the legal community to assist with the soaring backlog of immigration and asylum cases. This plea comes as illegal immigrants clog the legal system, creating unprecedented delays and inefficiencies.
Last Wednesday, the administration urged law firms, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to provide pro bono support for unrepresented migrants. This call to action focuses on managing the backlog without addressing the root problem of uncontrolled border crossings.
The American Bar Association (ABA) quickly responded on X, with President Mary Smith announcing that the organization is leveraging its resources to encourage more lawyers to offer free legal support. The ABA's provision of online resources and toolkits for immigration law practitioners and pro bono coordinators appears to be a minimal effort given the enormity of the problem.
The call to action comes amidst a staggering backlog of nearly 3.7 million pending immigration cases, the highest number ever recorded, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).
This backlog has surged by nearly 1 million cases from Fiscal Year 2023 to 2024, showcasing the dire consequences of lax immigration policies. Florida, Texas, California, New York, and Illinois lead with the most pending cases.
While studies show that migrants with legal representation fare better, the vast number of cases makes adequate legal support nearly impossible. A policy introduced in 2022 allows immigration lawyers to provide limited assistance without full case responsibility, but its impact is marginal. Legal specialists have assisted migrants 23,516 times since its introduction.
Zenab Youssef of the nonprofit Lawyers For Good Government acknowledged the call for more lawyers but overlooked the broader issue of border security. Her organization, active since 2021, pairs attorneys with migrants and asylum-seekers needing free legal representation. Despite their efforts, including a recent legal clinic in New York City for LGBTQ clients, the demand far exceeds available resources.
Biden's policies, including an executive order from early June, are far from restrictive. This order limits asylum claims to those with CBP One app appointments and who cross at legal ports of entry while preventing claims from those entering illegally when daily encounters exceed 2,500 for seven days.
The Department of Homeland Security reported around 1,900 daily border encounters this week, and if this number drops to 1,500 for seven consecutive days, the order could be lifted. Critics argue that contrary to Youssef’s claims, these policies are not harsh enough and fail to deter illegal crossings effectively.
The White House’s call for more lawyers appears to focus on managing the symptoms of the crisis rather than the root causes. Youssef’s comments highlight the failure of current policies, which hinder law enforcement agencies like CBP and Border Patrol from doing their jobs and keeping our borders secure.
The administration’s appeal extends beyond lawyers to anyone willing to help with the overwhelming backlog. However, it remains to be seen if these efforts will make a significant dent in the deeply flawed system that prioritizes illegal immigrants over border security.
Last Wednesday, the administration urged law firms, nonprofits, advocacy groups, and other stakeholders to provide pro bono support for unrepresented migrants. This call to action focuses on managing the backlog without addressing the root problem of uncontrolled border crossings.
The American Bar Association (ABA) quickly responded on X, with President Mary Smith announcing that the organization is leveraging its resources to encourage more lawyers to offer free legal support. The ABA's provision of online resources and toolkits for immigration law practitioners and pro bono coordinators appears to be a minimal effort given the enormity of the problem.
The call to action comes amidst a staggering backlog of nearly 3.7 million pending immigration cases, the highest number ever recorded, according to Syracuse University's Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC).
This backlog has surged by nearly 1 million cases from Fiscal Year 2023 to 2024, showcasing the dire consequences of lax immigration policies. Florida, Texas, California, New York, and Illinois lead with the most pending cases.
While studies show that migrants with legal representation fare better, the vast number of cases makes adequate legal support nearly impossible. A policy introduced in 2022 allows immigration lawyers to provide limited assistance without full case responsibility, but its impact is marginal. Legal specialists have assisted migrants 23,516 times since its introduction.
Zenab Youssef of the nonprofit Lawyers For Good Government acknowledged the call for more lawyers but overlooked the broader issue of border security. Her organization, active since 2021, pairs attorneys with migrants and asylum-seekers needing free legal representation. Despite their efforts, including a recent legal clinic in New York City for LGBTQ clients, the demand far exceeds available resources.
Biden's policies, including an executive order from early June, are far from restrictive. This order limits asylum claims to those with CBP One app appointments and who cross at legal ports of entry while preventing claims from those entering illegally when daily encounters exceed 2,500 for seven days.
The Department of Homeland Security reported around 1,900 daily border encounters this week, and if this number drops to 1,500 for seven consecutive days, the order could be lifted. Critics argue that contrary to Youssef’s claims, these policies are not harsh enough and fail to deter illegal crossings effectively.
The White House’s call for more lawyers appears to focus on managing the symptoms of the crisis rather than the root causes. Youssef’s comments highlight the failure of current policies, which hinder law enforcement agencies like CBP and Border Patrol from doing their jobs and keeping our borders secure.
The administration’s appeal extends beyond lawyers to anyone willing to help with the overwhelming backlog. However, it remains to be seen if these efforts will make a significant dent in the deeply flawed system that prioritizes illegal immigrants over border security.
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Comments
2024-07-23T22:41-0400 | Comment by: Carlton
How about we deport them all for free ?