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More than 100 people may be scheduled at once, and legal advocates say short-notice changes have already led to removal orders for Nebraska and Iowa residents.
By Hola Nebraska
Omaha, NE – Immigration court hearings involving more than 100 people at a time have begun in Omaha, raising concerns about notice, access to attorneys and the risk of removal orders for people who miss newly scheduled or accelerated court dates.
The hearings, known as “mega master” calendar hearings, often include people appearing before an immigration judge for the first time. They affect residents of Nebraska and Iowa who travel to the Omaha immigration court for their cases.
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and the Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement said many of the hearings have been scheduled or moved to earlier dates with little advance notice and often involve people who do not have legal representation.
Related: Nebraska immigration case surge strains legal aid groups
49 removal orders issued during one Omaha hearing
During the first mega master calendar hearing in Omaha, judges ordered 49 people removed from the United States within 30 minutes, according to the two legal organizations.
People who are absent when their cases are called may receive removal orders in absentia. The organizations said missed hearings can result from late notice, work schedules, transportation problems, child care needs or failure to receive a physical notice of a date change.
In addition to removal orders, missed hearings can lead to fines totaling thousands of dollars. Legal advocates said judges have already issued immediate removal orders for Nebraska and Iowa residents who were unable to attend their hearings.
“Every person seeking safety and opportunity deserves to have a fair chance to have their case heard in front of an immigration judge,” said Ann Naffier, co-legal director of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice.
Naffier said large dockets and failures to properly notify people about changed court dates can leave them without a meaningful opportunity to present their cases.
“Our community members should not have their lives completely upended without a fair hearing,” she said.
Advocates cite notice, language access and courtroom capacity
Immigration courts have described the larger hearings as a way to address case backlogs. Legal advocates, however, said the accelerated process raises questions about adequate notice, language access, courtroom capacity and whether each person has enough time to be heard.
Roxana Cortes-Mills, legal director of the Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement, said the expansion of the hearings reflects a growing emphasis on speed rather than individual review and procedural protections.
“While efficiency has its place, due process remains a cornerstone of our legal system,” Cortes-Mills said. “Every person in the United States deserves timely notice, a meaningful opportunity to be heard, and a fair process before a court makes decisions that permanently affect their future and their families.”
The two organizations said they will continue providing legal representation and information to immigrants navigating the court system in Nebraska and Iowa.
Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice is a statewide legal services and advocacy organization led by immigrant and refugee communities. The Center for Immigrant & Refugee Advancement provides legal and community support services for immigrants and refugees.
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