As we pull the curtains on the delicate state of immigration under the Biden administration, a disconcerting revelation emerges. The Biden administration’s systematic failure to file court papers in due course has resulted in the dismissal of hundreds of thousands of deportation cases. New data obtained by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, an academic group affiliated with Syracuse University, unveils a breakdown in enforcement protocol by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is responsible for issuing a Notice to Appear (NTA) to each illegal immigrant and filing it with the court.
Across the lands of liberty, the shadows of unlawful immigrants loom larger with rising dismissals of deportation cases. The data demonstrates that in approximately 200,000 cases where NTAs were issued at the border, the DHS failed to file the necessary papers with the court. Immigration courts in Houston, Texas, and Miami, Florida – cities teetering on the brink of immigration crisis – have seen more than half of their deportation cases dismissed for the same reason since fiscal year 2021. These figures are not just a blip in the judicial landscape but have mounted into a cause for grave concern.
The dismissals of immigration cases skyrocketed precipitously immediately upon President Biden taking office. The percentage rose dramatically from a mere 0.1% in 2017 and 1.2% in 2019 to a record high of 10.6% in 2021. While the percentage has since fallen, unprecedented numbers of illegal border crossings have ensured that actual dismissals surged to record highs in 2022 and 2023.
In a milieu where cases can be dismissed due to absent paperwork, the government reserves the option to file a new case against the alien. However, TRAC’s data reveals that DHS has effectively left immigrants in legal limbo by neglecting to take such action nearly 75% of the time. This negligence by the DHS has remained constant during Biden’s term, often culminating in what appears to be uncorrected clerical mistakes.
An equally alarming issue arises from the lack of transparency in the DHS operations. The agency remains tight-lipped regarding the location and reasons for these failures. Suspicions further escalate as TRAC reports the mysterious disappearance of 50,000 asylum files. Such missteps allege the Biden administration of falsely reporting a reduction in their asylum backlog, thereby distorting the grim reality of a growing backlog.
The Biden administration’s bureaucratic blunders are jamming up immigration courts as reserved dockets remain untouched. This cataclysmic shift in immigration statistics aligned succinctly with Biden’s inauguration, firmly contradicting the President’s claim that he is powerless to tighten illegal immigration without new laws sanctioned by Congress.
The implications of such administrative fumbles are immense and echo across the length and breadth of this great nation. While dismissals continue to surge, the failed deportation cases represent a festering wound on the integrity of our immigration system. Transparency, efficiency, and accountability must immediately be reinstated, or America will face the dire consequences of its indolence. The need for a comprehensive and proactive policy, undergirded by the values embedded in our Constitution, is exigent. More than a policy overhaul, it’s time for a rigorous evaluation of the core beliefs guiding our actions at this critical juncture of our nation’s history.