1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

It is important that every person, no matter the charge, receive due process of law. That is not happening right now in the immigration arena for 2 reasons: 1. immigration judges are overwhelmed by their case loads so that a normal immigration case takes years, not months, even fir an immigrant who has done everything right and 2. Immigration judges are employees of the same branch as the prosecution, the executive branch. Both things need to change. First, Congress (that’s you) needs to provide the system with funds and fairness to have adequate judges and resources to move cases in an orderly and expeditious manner. That means adequate judges, translators, clerks, admin personnel and facilities to run courtrooms. I recents heard about one immigration Judge, one clerk and one translator in NC trying to run 3 simultaneous courtrooms. That cannot result in justice or due process. Children are being asked if they wish to self deport at 2 or 3 years old with no representation. Even a young teen couldn’t do that. They don’t understand the words in English or their mother tongue. They cannot even sign their names. So resources for the legal representation of Minors. The second issue should probably come first. If people’s lives, safety and families are at stake in immigration hearings (and they are), then the people making thise decisions should not report to the same person as the prosecutors. The judges should be Article III judicial branch judges, even if like federal magistrates we do not give them life tenure, but 8 year contracts. They should report to the judicial branch (Chief Judge or a panel or Article III federal judges in their state and district). They should have the same ethical standards as a magistrate. No ex parte communications with prosecutors. No collusion with law enforcement portion of Homeland Security. No arrangements to dismiss cases such as asylum cases so that ICE can grab and deport. No being told their rulings don’t suit DOJ and if they want to keep their jobs they must find against immigrants more often. Actual judging without fear (of their bosses) or favor (to HS). It is time for real changes in how immigration courts are structured and how they function in real life. Not as an extension of Executive policy, but as truly fair tribunals.