Everything is booked: you can only make an appointment at ICE in New York at the end of 2032

An interview for an illegal immigrant at the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in New York cannot be scheduled for the next 9 years. The meeting schedule is “full filled through October 2032.” This makes New York an ideal destination for migrants whose asylum claims are not supported by sufficient evidence, and creates a huge headache for those asylum seekers whose asylum cases are justified. New York Post.

Due to the accumulated cases, migrants in New York have to wait almost ten years to get into immigration court.

The administration of US President Joe Biden allowed 802 illegal immigrants into the country. They were detained after illegally crossing the southwestern border for a 396-month period from the end of March 23 to February 2021, 13. This is evidenced by the data in a document printed on an ICE letterhead, which came into the possession of journalists.

Previously, migrants who illegally crossed the southern border and applied for asylum had to appear in the immigration court (they were given a Notice to Appear - NTA). But in early 2021, the Biden administration added a new step to the process. Migrants have begun to receive a Notice to Report (NTR), a notice to report to the ICE office located at their final destination. And then the ICE office was supposed to send the migrants to court.

On the subject: 25 hours in line in the cold: how immigrants in New York try to get an appointment at ICE

As of February 13, 2023, illegal immigrants have registered for 39 at the ICE New York office. This makes it the busiest branch of this department in the country.

In second place in terms of the number of migrants in line is the ICE office in Jacksonville, Florida. Everything is booked up until June 2028. There are more than 26 thousand migrants in the queue. Third place - Miramar (Florida), it is scored until January 2028. It has 24 migrants registered.

The ICE offices close the top ten in queues:

• in Atlanta - scored until January 2027;
• in San Antonio - until February 2027;
• in Mount Laurel (New Jersey) - until May 2026;
• in Chicago - until February 2026;
• in Baltimore - until January 2026;
• in Milwaukee - until February 2026;
• in Indianapolis until January 2026.

Victor Rodriguez, 23, who arrived in the US from Venezuela in late 2022, said he had an appointment in 2025.

“Before I arrived, I knew it would be difficult, but not that hard,” Rodriguez said. "I didn't know it would take so long."

ICE does not dispute the accuracy of these data or refute suggestions about what this means for migrants.

Former Virginia immigration judge Matt O'Brien says he has seen migrants strategically choose a particular city to drag their case out for years, giving them the option to stay in the US. And those who have real cases have to settle in cities other than where they planned before, just to get a chance for a quick consideration of the case.

Notably, when migrants are brought to trial, most asylum applications are denied. 63% of applications were denied in FY 2021 and 71% in 2020. Many understand that they will be rejected, and therefore they go to busy cities, take advantage of huge lines at ICE and live in the US for years, allegedly awaiting their trial.