Escalation: Miami immigration court backlog gridlocks system

At 333 S Miami Ave, lines now snake down the block as hundreds of people wait for immigration hearings. Families with babies and elderly relatives stand for hours in heat and thunderstorms, many with foldable chairs and umbrellas. Some arrive before dawn for midday slots.

Since Sept. 8, everyone must appear in person, ending the pandemic-era option to attend by video. Cases have been moved to earlier dates and packed onto large dockets where up to 150 people are scheduled with one judge in a day. A ramp-up in immigration arrests has added to the caseload.

Courthouse procedure worsens the wait. Security keeps people outside and only begins screening in groups near each docket time, so the line to clear the X-ray machines can last hours. Missing a hearing often brings a deportation order, so people give up work shifts and arrive predawn, like one family that reached the court at 4 a.m. for a 1 p.m. hearing after a 2027 video date was reset as in person.

AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources