Biden DOJ launches the Dedicated Docket, compressing family hearings to 300 days

The Biden Justice Department launched the Dedicated Docket program on April 19, 2021, creating a fast-track immigration court process for families who crossed the southern border together. The program required cases to be heard within approximately 300 days rather than the multi-year general docket wait. Immigration advocates criticized the compressed timeline as making it impossible for families to find legal representation — only about 17 percent of Dedicated Docket respondents obtained counsel, compared to nearly 50 percent on the general docket.