Featured Issue: America Needs an Independent Immigration Court — AILA Urges Passage of the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022

On February 3, 2022, Representatives Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), and Hank Johnson (D-GA), introduced the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 (H.R. 6577). AILA welcomed the introduction of the bill. Unlike other courts, our nation’s immigration courts are controlled by the Department of Justice — the very same law-enforcement agency that is charged with prosecuting criminal immigration cases in federal courts. This vital piece of legislation would create an immigration court system under Article I of the Constitution, reforming our immigration courts into an independent system that can ensure fair and efficient outcomes.

On May 11, 2022, the House Judiciary Committee marked up the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 (H.R. 6577) and passed it out of committee by a vote of 24-12. AILA submitted a statement for the markup, which was originally scheduled for April 6, 2022 but was delayed. Help us push for immigration court reform by using our Advocacy Action Center today to urge Congress to enact the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 (H.R. 6577)!

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The Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 (H.R. 6577)

• Bill Text
• Section-by-Section Summary of Bill
• One-Page Summary of Bill

Resources on the Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 and Creation of an Independent Court

• AILA Submits Statement for Markup of Real Courts, Rule of Law Act of 2022 – April 5, 2022
• Episode 117: This Week In Immigration: BPC’s immigration podcast focusing on the deep problems in immigration courts and featuring Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren of California, Austin Kocher of TRAC, and AILA’s Greg Chen.
• AILA Welcomes Legislation to Create Independent Immigration Court
• "Why America Needs an Independent Immigration Court System - Statement submitted to the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship for its hearing "For the Rule of Law, an Independent Immigration Court" on January 20, 2022
• AILA Video: It's Time for Immigration Court Reform
• Legal Associations Call for Independent Immigration Court System - Letter to Congress sent by AILA, the American Bar Association, the National Association of Immigration Judges, and the Federal Bar Association on July 11, 2019
• Congress Must Establish and Independent Immigration Court - Letter to Congress from 54 immigration, civil rights, faith-based, government acountability, and labor organizations on February 18, 2020
• New York Times (Opinion): Immigration Courts Aren't Real Courts. Time to Change That.
• AILA Policy Brief: Restoring Integrity and Independence to America's Immigration Courts - January 24, 2020
• House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship Hearing: Courts in Crisis: The State of Judicial Independence and Due Process in U.S. Immgiration Courts - January 29, 2020

Cite as AILA Doc. No. 22020256.