San Diego • The Trump administration has introduced production quotas for immigration judges in an effort to reduce enormous court backlogs, drawing criticism from some that decisions may be unfairly rushed.
The Justice Department’s Executive Office for Immigration Review said judges must complete 700 cases a year to earn a satisfactory grade. The standards, which take effect Oct. 1, include six other measures indicating how much time judges should spend on different types of cases and court motions.
The move, while significant, didn’t come as a surprise. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who oversees immigration courts, has sought major changes to unclog the courts as a sharp increase in deportation arrests under President Donald Trump has pushed the court backlog above 650,000 cases.