CHICAGO (WLS) — In a startling recent development, Chicago’s immigration court has surpassed all others nationwide in issuing deportation orders, per insights from court analysts and BKLG.org statistics. This surge aligns with what observers and advocates are now calling “Mega Master” hearings, where vast numbers of individuals are scheduled to appear in court simultaneously.
One instance of this was on Thursday morning when a single courtroom was overwhelmed with 125 individuals summoned to appear.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
“It’s like organized chaos. People crowd the hallways, struggling to figure out where they need to be in a space that feels remarkably cramped,” explained Sam Cole, an attorney with the ACLU and former immigration judge who stepped down early last year.
Cole commented on the current scenario, noting it is far beyond anything he encountered in his judicial experiences.
“Missed court appearances are common, not only because individuals aren’t informed, but even those present often find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time,” Cole remarked.
It is not clear why, but immigration court watchers say they started noticing this happening in May.
“Sometimes it’s over 100 people. We’ve seen an instance when there were over 200 people on the list,” said Katie Curtin of the Illinois Coalition of Immigrant and Refugee Rights.
SEE ALSO | Dramatic decline in people becoming new citizens in Chicago area this year, data shows
Advocates and legal observers say the large calendars have contributed to missed appointments as people’s hearings have been rescheduled on short-notice. Those who do not appear for their hearings can be ordered removed.
According to BKLG.org, 6,012 people in Chicago were ordered removed in absentia during June, more than in any other city in the country. The figure compares with 1,267 such orders in February.
“Given delays in mail many people are finding out they have a removal order at the same time they’re finding out they had a hearing in the first place,” says Benjamin Levey with the National Immigrant Justice Center.
“It’s by design. This is on purpose to try and deport people as quickly as possible without due process,” said Diana Rashid of The Resurrection Project.
A Justice Department spokesperson denies that. “Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for this administration,” they said.
That spokesperson also said immigration courts are prepared to handle larger hearings without compromising due process and that removal orders are issued only after a judge determines proper notice was given.
Despite the increase in removal orders, a substantial backlog remains nationwide. As of late last month, more than 3 million active cases were still pending before immigration courts across the country.
A Department of Justice spokesperson provided the following statement:
“The Biden Administration allowed millions of unvetted migrants into our communities and intentionally turned a blind eye to hundreds of thousands of unaccompanied alien children in need of care. Reducing the immigration court backlog remains one of the highest priorities for this administration. The Justice Department is restoring integrity to our immigration system by hearing cases fairly, expeditiously, and uniformly, in accordance with the law.”
An Executive Office for Immigration Review spokesperson provided the following statement:
“The Executive Office for Immigration Review prioritizes the timely completion of all cases, including those of unaccompanied alien children, and makes scheduling adjustments as needed to ensure cases do not languish. Unnecessary delay hurts both aliens with meritorious claims and the American public who wish to see aliens with non-meritorious claims removed as quickly as possible. As it continues to add new immigration judges, EOIR will continue to make scheduling adjustments to ensure all cases are handled in a timely and lawful manner.”
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.