Miami’s federal immigration court introduced a controversial procedural change this week, requiring all detainees to undergo a mandatory “pre‑hearing counseling” session before their cases can be scheduled. The policy, intended to streamline case management, has inadvertently created a bottleneck, with detainees queuing for hours in overcrowded waiting areas. Advocacy groups reported that the counseling rooms are understaffed, leading to delays of up to three days before a single case can be entered into the docket. Judges have expressed frustration over the backlog, while immigration attorneys warn that the tactic could infringe on due‑process rights. Local officials are calling for an urgent review of the procedure to prevent further disruption.
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