The Trump administration's push to accelerate immigration proceedings by bundling hundreds of cases into single "mega master" calendar hearings is creating turmoil outside the Miami immigration court and driving a surge in deportation orders for those who don't show up, according to attorneys, court watchers, and federal statistics.
Last month, a 52-year-old Haitian man named Avene Jeanite accompanied a friend to the courthouse and witnessed the shift firsthand. He recalled that in the past, entry was simple: “you would go to the door and they’d let you in.” Now, on a recent Tuesday, crowds seeking their first court date stretched for blocks.
These marathon sessions are part of a strategy to fast-track removals. Previously, judges might see roughly three dozen cases daily; today, they routinely face dockets exceeding 100 people, with many cases handled in clusters, NPR reports.
Administration officials defend the approach as essential for tackling a massive case backlog. Opponents, however, describe it as a deliberate push to expedite deportations unfairly. David Wilson, vice chair of the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s immigration court committee, characterized the practice as “a very unfair, but a very effective tactic.” He explained that the mega dockets breed confusion—delayed court notices and scant time to secure counsel lead many immigrants to miss their dates entirely.
In response, a Justice Department spokesperson stated that “reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for this administration.” Meanwhile, a representative for the Executive Office for Immigration Review, which manages the courts, noted that as more judges are hired, the agency “will continue to make scheduling adjustments to ensure all cases are handled in a timely and lawful manner.”
The fallout is visible in the numbers. Since the mega master hearings were introduced, removal orders issued in absentia have climbed to unprecedented levels, according to the legal tech firm bklg. Nationwide, over 54,000 immigrants were ordered deported in July for skipping court, nearly matching June’s 56,000 and marking a 60% jump over recent months. The Miami court alone saw such orders leap from 1,383 in May to 2,886 in July—a 108% spike.
NPR reporters observed Judge Xavier Racine in Miami summoning roughly 30 individuals at once, informing them of their rights and scheduling follow-up hearings a month out. Other judges are setting return dates as soon as two weeks later.
The explosion in Miami’s caseload stems from three factors, per NPR: record monthly arrests by the administration, hearings originally slated for 2027 being pulled forward, and the revival of cases once considered low priority due to their likelihood of being dismissed.
Yeriné, a 30-year-old Venezuelan mother who requested partial anonymity, saw her hearing moved up from May 2027 to this past Tuesday. Waiting in line, she worried others wouldn’t arrive on time. “That scares me,” she said.
Billie Botch, a court observer from the American Friends Service Committee, pointed to the practical fallout of extended waits, noting that many arrive late. “You can’t deny the correlation,” Botch said, arguing that compressing more cases into tighter timelines with fewer resources inevitably results in more deportations.