DOJ launches mass immigration master hearings, packing dockets under executive control

The Department of Justice began scheduling mass immigration hearings in May 2026, grouping hundreds of migrants into single master calendar sessions designed to process cases at industrial scale. EOIR directed immigration judges to prioritize enforcement-oriented docket management over individualized adjudication, with supervisory pressure to minimize continuances and limit evidentiary hearings. Immigration attorneys reported that judges operating under DOJ quota systems were denying requests for additional time to obtain counsel, raising due process concerns across multiple jurisdictions.