The Immigration Courts in Miami are experiencing an unprecedented logistical collapse: huge lines of immigrants form every morning outside the courts, and those without legal representation risk losing their case before even crossing the threshold.
The immigration lawyer Willy Allen III, in an interview with Tania Costa, explained the origin of the problem: about a week ago, they stopped allowing remote appearances for the majority of cases. "Now it is mandatory to appear in person for everyone," Allen III warned. Although some judges continue to operate virtually, any court that functions in person requires physical presence without exception.
The workload exacerbates the situation. According to Allen III, immigration judges in Miami must handle approximately 70 cases of initial or preliminary hearings per day, which makes entering the building a bottleneck. The Court has 137,373 pending cases, the highest number among all immigration courts in the country, according to data from TRAC.
The most serious risk identified by the attorney is receiving an order of deportation in absentia if the immigrant fails to enter on time. "It could be that if you don't enter on time, they will issue an order of deportation in absentia. Obviously, that would be completely unfair if it happens," Allen III stated.
His immediate advice for anyone caught in line is to document the wait. "If you're in line, take photos with the timestamp that shows the time you were waiting to get in, to at least try to appeal that decision or reopen the case." Those timestamped images can make the difference between winning or losing the case.
Some judges have allowed people in line to participate by phone while they wait to enter, although Allen III clarified that this is not a widespread practice: he observed it with two judges in Miami the previous week, but he could not identify them because they were not his cases.
The lawyer's central recommendation is to hire legal representation before reaching the courthouse. "Lawyers don't have to wait in line. So, for example, if I have an initial court appearance and my client is in the queue, I can enter and say to the judge: Look, my client is waiting to enter. She is here, but has not been able to get in," explained Allen III.
This urgency is multiplied by a recent court decision that eliminated the usual practice of granting automatic extensions to seek legal counsel. "When I was in Japan, a ruling came out saying that judges no longer have to give people time to find a lawyer," Allen III revealed. It used to be common for a judge to postpone a hearing for two months so that the immigrant could secure representation. "If you have a new Trump judge, I doubt that will happen," he warned.
The lawyer also pointed out that the lines are not an administrative accident. "It's something deliberate that the government is doing to increase pressure on people, to make them panic."
For those with scheduled hearings, Allen III was clear: arrive at least one hour early for the appointed time. "If your hearing is at eight, plan on arriving at least an hour before," he advised. His clients with hearings at 8:00 a.m. who arrived at 7:00 a.m. were already inside by the time he arrived at the courthouse.
As of September 8, 2026, the Immigration Court in Miami will mandate physical presence for all non-detained cases during Master and Individual hearings, permanently eliminating the WebEx option, which is expected to further intensify the crowding.
El colapso en los tribunales de Miami es solo una parte de un panorama migratorio en constante cambio. Sigue todos los detalles en nuestra sección de para estar preparado ante cualquier novedad.
Filed under: