Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Media Tip Sheets
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • |
  • Alumni
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Media Tip Sheets

Immigration Law Professors Rely on TRAC’s Data to Call on Biden Administration to Reduce Immigration Court Backlog

Wednesday, May 5, 2021, By News Staff
Share
facultyResearch and CreativeTransactional Records Access Clearinghouse

A group of law professors are calling on Attorney General Merrick Garland to reduce the immigration court backlog which, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC) at Syracuse University, currently stands at over 1.3 million cases.

The letter [PDF] explains that the growing backlog of immigration cases means that immigrants now wait, on average, 1,600 days for their hearing and creates “crushing caseloads” for judges who have, on average, 3,000 pending cases each.

The letter goes on to call on Garland to use his “broad discretionary authority” to “identify and defer the adjudication of nonpriority cases”—which would reduce the number of cases that are actively pending in the courts. “Less than 1% of current backlog cases are a priority,” the letter claims.

Austin Kocher portrait

Austin Kocher

Austin Kocher is a faculty fellow with TRAC, a research institute that uses Freedom of Information Act requests to study the federal government. He says that this exercise of discretion would not be unusual.

“Law enforcement agencies of all kinds have broad discretion over how to prioritize resources to achieve their mission. If the Attorney General decided to put a pause on non-priority deportation cases, as the law professors are calling for, it would not end deportation by any means, but it could allow the courts to come up for air after years of drowning in cases. And given our up-to-date data on the courts, we would likely be able to quantify this change very quickly.”

TRAC’s recent analysis of the immigration court backlog showed that during the Trump administration, the backlog grew from 542,000 cases to nearly 1.3 million. For additional context, view TRAC’s immigration court backlog tool or immigration court asylum decisions tool.

Members of the media looking to request an interview with Kocher to gain more clarity on this issue may contact:

Joshua M. Grossman ’03
Director of Media Relations, Division of Communications and Marketing
T 202.227.9250 | jmgrossm@syr.edu

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • College of Visual and Performing Arts Welcomes New Full-Time Faculty
    Monday, September 25, 2023, By Erica Blust
  • School of Education Faculty Publish ‘Lesson Study With Mathematics and Science Preservice Teachers’
    Sunday, September 24, 2023, By Martin Walls
  • Water Main Break Near Bird Library to Be Repaired Monday
    Sunday, September 24, 2023, By News Staff
  • University Musicians, West Point Band to Perform Together This Weekend As Part of Events Around Military Appreciation Day
    Friday, September 22, 2023, By Christine Weber
  • Turning Young Enthusiasts Into Scientific Researchers
    Friday, September 22, 2023, By Wendy S. Loughlin

More In Media Tip Sheets

Expert Available to Discuss Rupert Murdoch Stepping Down at Fox News

If you are looking for an expert to discuss Rupert Murdoch stepping down at Fox News, Lynne Vincent, associate professor of management at Syracuse University’s Whitman School of Management, is available for interviews. If you’d like to schedule an interview…

Education Expert: Massive Public Investment Needed to Solve Teacher Shortages 

School districts across the country continue to struggle with teacher shortages as a new school year begins. There has been a lot of talk about the reasons behind the shortages and what can be done to improve the situation.  George…

Featured Media Coverage – Week of Sept. 11

Syracuse University thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this week: Eric Grode, director of the Goldring Arts Journalism and Communications program at Newhouse, was quoted in the Associated Press story “Largest US newspaper…

Experts Available to Discuss UAW Strike

The historic UAW strike has begun. If you are looking for experts to interview for your story, consider these Syracuse University faculty members who are available for interview. You may also quote their comments below. Matthew Huber, professor of geography…

Featured Media Coverage – Week of Sept. 4

Syracuse University thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this week: George Saunders, a professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in Library of Congress “George Saunders to Receive 2023 Library…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • @SUCampus
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2023 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.