WBUR-Boston reported on July 20 that immigration courts in Chelmsford and other US cities are scheduling so-called "mega-masters" hearings, packing more than 100 respondents into a single master-calendar session. The Executive Office for Immigration Review says the practice helps whittle a 3.2 million-case backlog, but attorneys argue it sacrifices due-process rights and boosts in-absentia removal orders. Under the Trump administration’s new docketing directive, most non-detained cases must conclude within 365 days—60 days for detainees. To meet quotas, courts are summoning large groups with little notice; volunteer monitors told WBUR that roughly half the summoned migrants never learn of their court date and are ordered deported when they fail to appear. For employers, the trend raises red flags when sponsoring workers with asylum or cancellation-of-removal claims. A missed notice could lead to an unanticipated deportation and immediate work-authorization loss. Legal teams should monitor clients’ online case portals daily and budget for emergency motions to reopen. Advocates predict litigation challenging the mass-calendar model on constitutional grounds, but until courts intervene, mobility managers should treat any pending removal case as time-critical. Failure to navigate the compressed timelines can derail permanent residence strategies and expose companies to abrupt talent gaps.
Source: WBUR News
