Friday, October 12, 2018

AILA Opposes Immigration Court Quotas


Holding a juris doctor from Cornell Law School, Rodney Malpert has served as a partner with Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy in Phoenix, Arizona, for more than a decade. Alongside his everyday work with clients, Rodney Malpert stays engaged with his profession through membership in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).

In October 2018, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) began enforcement of a quota system for federal immigration judges. Under the new rules, these judges must complete at least 700 cases on an annual basis or be subject to discipline by the DOJ. In response to these new regulations, AILA once again called upon federal authorities to create a new, independent immigration court. 

In her comments, AILA president Anastasia Tonello said that the new regulations put judges in a position where they have to make premature decisions in cases or risk facing discipline. As a result, the due process of those who come before these courts is violated on a de facto basis, denying them fundamental fairness.