Story perspectives

Immigration Judges Cut Asylum Filing Time for Unaccompanied Children

8/20/2026

Summary

Story summary

U.S. immigration judges are accelerating removal proceedings for unaccompanied children, giving less than three weeks to file asylum claims.
Median pending time for unaccompanied children’s cases was nearly 2,400 days, about six years, in July.
Continuance rates for unaccompanied children dropped from nearly 80% at President Donald Trump’s term start to 46% in June.
Chief Immigration Judge Teresa Riley began weekly June emails praising judges with the most case completions.

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Story summary

U.S. immigration judges are accelerating removal proceedings for unaccompanied children, giving less than three weeks to file asylum claims.
Median pending time for unaccompanied children’s cases was nearly 2,400 days, about six years, in July.
Continuance rates for unaccompanied children dropped from nearly 80% at President Donald Trump’s term start to 46% in June.
Chief Immigration Judge Teresa Riley began weekly June emails praising judges with the most case completions.