Chicago immigration court accused of violating due process for minors

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Mike Quigley have raised concerns regarding alleged due process violations at an immigration court in downtown Chicago. Lawmakers and advocates claim the court is utilizing a strategy to expedite cases and issue removal orders to unaccompanied minors, some as young as 12 years old.

Advocates report a surge in cases since June involving children who may have pending Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a legal pathway for minors who have survived severe trauma. Critics argue that the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review is prioritizing the reduction of case backlogs at the expense of legal protections.

A Department of Justice spokesperson stated that reducing the immigration court backlog is a high priority for the administration, noting that previous policies allowed for a significant number of unvetted individuals into communities.