Trump Administration Uses Mega Hearings to Accelerate Deportations

The Trump administration has overhauled the U.S. immigration judicial system to accelerate removals and reduce a decades-long case backlog. Central to this strategy are mega master calendar hearings, where judges process dozens or hundreds of cases in a single session. In June 2026, federal judges issued nearly 79,000 deportation orders, the highest monthly total since 1998. This surge is driven by a shift in personnel, including the dismissal of over 113 judges since January 2025 and the appointment of new judges focused on deportation.

To increase efficiency, the administration shortened hearing notice periods from approximately six months to a median of 42 days by June 2026. Data from the nonprofit Mobile Pathways shows that the national no-show rate doubled from 20% in January 2025 to 40% by June 2026. This has resulted in a historic spike in in-absentia removal orders, with over 54,000 immigrants ordered deported for missing hearings in July alone. Operational chaos has been reported in cities like Chicago and Miami, where some immigrants reportedly received deportation orders while physically present in the courthouse.

The United States Department of Justice and the Executive Office for Immigration Review defend these measures as necessary to restore integrity to the system and process a backlog of millions of cases. Conversely, legal advocates and the American Immigration Lawyers Association argue the system now functions as a conveyor belt that denies due process. To further lower costs, the government introduced the Homecoming Project, providing financial incentives for voluntary departures to over 200,000 participants by July 2026.