Immigrants with court cases on hold may be at risk

Undocumented immigrants in Riverside may have a stronger base of support than in some other states or cities. However, when it comes to obtaining green cards, those in Riverside may struggle just as much as immigrants anywhere else in the nation.

Many immigrants who have already traveled a long and rough road may be facing yet another hurdle in the form of case date delays. It has been reported that 2015 is the new pushed back year for many immigration cases and that some have been pushed back even farther. This is potentially due to an overloaded system that has only been bloated further by a recent shutdown.

It has been reported that in 360,000 immigration courts, the average pending time for an immigration court date is around 573 days, or well over one year. With 70% of the immigration court hearings currently put on hold, the backlog that these courts and the immigrants could be dealing with has many people concerned. It is especially dire when it comes to families who need court approval to get green cards and families who need residency for safety reasons, either because they would not be safe if they were deported or because they have families left behind in unsafe locations.

This delay is bad news for many, and it can make an already complicated process even lengthier. Because of the time and effort that goes into a court case, any immigrant who wishes to obtain their green card may benefit from the aid of an attorney.

Source: News Observer, “AP Exclusive: Shutdown hurt 37,000 immigrant cases,” Amy Taxin, Feb. 22, 2014