Overview
- Courts in cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, San Antonio and Laredo have begun convening 'mega' or 'megaaudiencia' dockets that cite more than 100 people to appear at once to accelerate case processing.
- Advocates and immigration lawyers say the mass calendars are being scheduled so quickly that many migrants may not get timely notice and risk deportation in absentia if they do not appear.
- The format compresses initial calendar hearings into fast group sessions where judges may address dozens of cases at once, creating problems for unrepresented respondents and for securing qualified interpreters.
- The change follows broader administrative shifts, including the removal of more than 100 immigration judges and relaxed hiring rules that advocates say align courts with the administration's removal priorities.
- A recent DHS memorandum directing ICE to tighten asylum‑fraud enforcement adds potential sanctions pressure, and lawyers warn that pairing mega hearings with courthouse enforcement could further deter migrants from pursuing claims.