Provax, Nicole Journal 2

As an intern at a non-profit organization, it is important to meet and to have direct contact

with the people that the organization attempts to help. At the US Committee for Refugees and

Immigrants, although a majority of our time is spent in the office, making phone calls and

writing emails, we had the opportunity two weeks ago to visit the Arlington Immigration Court

to observe the juvenile docket master hearings. When we interview clients, we explain the

importance of attending all master hearings, with or without legal representation. Attending

these master hearings first-hand was an interesting experience that allowed us to become more

aware of court procedures and of how our role fits into the overall immigration system.
Within the Arlington Immigration Court, there are around thirteen different court rooms,

two of which are reserved for juvenile dockets (under eighteen-years-old). There is a morning

docket from 9 AM-11:30 AM and an afternoon docket from 1 PM-3 PM. Because these are

master calendar hearings, the public is welcome to visit the courthouse and to observe. We

attended the morning session, which consisted of about 30 hearings. An interpreter was present

to assist the non-English speaking clients to understand the proceedings. A woman from the

Department of Homeland Security advocated for the governments interests as the plaintiff, while

the minor (and/or attorney) stood in as the defense. Although there was a set schedule, it was not

followed because some minors were waiting for their attorneys to arrive and other minors did not

show up at all. The disorganization and confusion over the schedule resulted in frequent

recesses. The judge suggested we move to the courtroom across the hall to view the adult

docket. The adult docket progressed more quickly. People brought their cases before the judge

in a steady flow and some were granted continuances to find an attorney and others were denied

relief and received an order of removal.

Prior to going to the Immigration Court, our supervisor explained to us what we could

expect from our visit. She told us that the degree of leniency for continuances to find an attorney
varies from judge to judge and from court to court. We also discussed the lack of judges to hear

cases and the resulting back-log that occurs. We visited the court with these expectations in

mind. Understanding the gravity of the situation and the fear that most minors and adults face

when appearing in court, the judge was very sympathetic, patient, and welcoming. I was

relieved to find that the children we service that attend the Arlington Immigration Court were

treated with kindness and respect. The judge granted most people a continuance to find an

attorney if they didnt already have one, and he also made an effort to speak with us and answer

any questions. Overall, I appreciated his personable and warm demeanor and his sincere desire

to help the undocumented immigrants that appeared before him. We found the other expectation

about a back-log of cases to be true. When we observed the adult docket, the judge was

scheduling hearings on his individual docket for 2022 and beyond. I was shocked by the lack of

judges available to efficiently and to effectively move the process along for undocumented

immigrants to attain some form of relief or visa.

On a larger scale, the back-log only further damages the already broken immigration

system in the United States as the number of undocumented immigrants waiting to hear if they

have received relief or if they need to return to their country of origin increases. As an intern at

the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, even if I feel that I am making an impact in the

community by helping undocumented minors to find legal representation, the reality is that these

children will be waiting and waiting for many months or even years to have their cases heard.

Although legal representation definitely helps to move the process of applying for relief quicker,

more judges or a change to the entire application process is necessary to allow for a better and

more efficient system that will help those that deserve relief.