The Trump administration has started advancing immigration hearings for migrant children in US custody, reducing waiting periods by weeks or months, according to a report by CNN citing officials and legal representatives. The reform aims to resolve cases faster, but lawyers and advocates say it is making it harder for children to secure legal relief and increasing the risk of deportation.
Immigration hearings moved up
Immigration courts are now scheduling hearings much earlier than expected, CNN reported. Children, including those as young as four years old, are required to appear in court multiple times within short intervals, sometimes without legal representation. In several cases, hearings earlier set for future years have been rescheduled within days.
The policy marks a shift towards faster case processing for unaccompanied minors and those returned to government custody after enforcement actions. Administration officials told CNN the effort is intended to reduce time in custody and prevent trafficking risks. In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said, “is focused on resolving cases involving unaccompanied children as quickly and efficiently as possible, consistent with the law.”
The spokesperson added, “Many of these children are at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and in some cases are brought across the border by cartels under dangerous and coercive conditions. Moving cases forward helps disrupt those networks and ensures children are returned to safe environments as quickly as possible. Reducing time in custody also lowers taxpayer costs and ensures the system is operating as intended.”
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A White House official told CNN the administration “is working to disrupt cartel plots and humanely return trafficked children to their homes and families as expeditiously as possible.”
Legal concerns over limited preparation time
Lawyers working with migrant children told CNN that the shorter timelines are limiting their ability to prepare cases. They argue that children who have experienced trauma require time to build trust and provide necessary information for legal claims.
“They’re all some combination of confused, scared and frustrated,” said Scott Bassett, managing attorney at Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, as quoted by CNN.
Immigration hearings moved up
Immigration courts are now scheduling hearings much earlier than expected, CNN reported. Children, including those as young as four years old, are required to appear in court multiple times within short intervals, sometimes without legal representation. In several cases, hearings earlier set for future years have been rescheduled within days.The policy marks a shift towards faster case processing for unaccompanied minors and those returned to government custody after enforcement actions. Administration officials told CNN the effort is intended to reduce time in custody and prevent trafficking risks. In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services said, “is focused on resolving cases involving unaccompanied children as quickly and efficiently as possible, consistent with the law.”
The spokesperson added, “Many of these children are at risk of trafficking and exploitation, and in some cases are brought across the border by cartels under dangerous and coercive conditions. Moving cases forward helps disrupt those networks and ensures children are returned to safe environments as quickly as possible. Reducing time in custody also lowers taxpayer costs and ensures the system is operating as intended.”
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
A White House official told CNN the administration “is working to disrupt cartel plots and humanely return trafficked children to their homes and families as expeditiously as possible.”
Legal concerns over limited preparation time
Lawyers working with migrant children told CNN that the shorter timelines are limiting their ability to prepare cases. They argue that children who have experienced trauma require time to build trust and provide necessary information for legal claims.“They’re all some combination of confused, scared and frustrated,” said Scott Bassett, managing attorney at Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, as quoted by CNN.
