The U.S. immigration court system faced a backlog of nearly 3.8 million cases by the third quarter of 2025, according to official data reflecting conditions midyear. Throughout fiscal year 2025, the immigration courts received approximately 554,000 new cases, a decline compared with the previous year. Despite this, the courts completed around 955,000 cases in the same period, suggesting that the system still operated under significant pressure while trying to manage the influx.
By the end of fiscal year 2024, more than 3.7 million cases remained pending, marking a 44 percent increase from the 2.5 million backlog recorded at the close of fiscal year 2023. This rapid accumulation highlighted persistent challenges in case resolution and assigned resources. The backlog is driven by the number of new cases filed each year, the pace at which judges complete cases, and the limited capacity within the court system.
In early 2026, data revealed that the remaining judges faced caseloads exceeding 120,000 active immigration cases, reflecting a continuing high volume of pending matters per judge. The situation intensified with the closure of an immigration court during the previous administration, which further strained remaining judicial resources and contributed to the expanding backlog.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services also reported a backlog of roughly 11.3 million pending immigration applications by mid-2025, marking the highest levels recorded for those processes. This rise in administrative applications compounded the difficulties experienced within immigration courts in managing both enforcement and adjudication components of immigration proceedings.
Estimates indicated that each immigration judge handles roughly 957 cases annually, meaning that without a significant increase in the number of judges or enhanced procedural efficiency, the backlog would take years to reduce. Research conducted into court operations suggested a need for expanding judicial teams to address the current volume and prevent further accumulation.
The backlog in immigration courts has remained a persistent issue for several years and represents a continuous challenge for the Department of Justice’s Executive Office for Immigration Review. Efforts to close the gap between case filings and decisions have yet to fully mitigate the congestion, leaving nearly 4 million cases pending as of early 2026.
