Sociology Prof. Deckard on WFAE: Children Pay Toll of Long Immigration Court Backlog
In a recent story on WFAE, the Charlotte-area NPR affiliate, sociology professor and immigration expert Natalie Delia Deckard shared her perspective on the human toll of a growing immigration court backlog.
According to the story, the number of pending immigration cases in Mecklenburg County has increased by 34 percent, adding to a backlog of more than 15,000 cases. The resulting legal limbo is hardest on unaccompanied minors who now wait an average of 806 days for court appearances.
"Goal-making becomes impossible," Delia-Deckard said. "How do you look at what's supposed to happen in high school? How do you know where you're applying for colleges when you don't know where you'll be? And you have no control over that."