Florida leads the country in immigration case backlogs

While there has been backlash at the border over immigration, Florida is leading the country in backlogged cases.

The state has about 30,000 more pending cases than Texas.

Texas comes in second in backlogged cases.

Having a legal status in the U.S. is the dream of thousands seeking a better life.

For those who have submitted an application for some form of a legal pathway, every day that passes without a response is full of despair.

One Fort Myers woman said she’s been waiting over four years for an update on her asylum case and the delay limits her from work, seeking health services or driving.

Another woman has been waiting over six years. It turns out they’re not alone.

Research from Syracuse University shows Florida leading the nation in backlogs with nearly half a million people waiting for an update.

Lindsay Ray, an Immigration Attorney with the Amigos Center, said some reasons for the backlog may be a lack of funding.

“We’ve been on some calls with USCIS where they say funding is an issue and that they just don’t have the workers,” Ray said.

Other issues include complicated forms.

“Venezuelan TPS is the first thing that comes to mind. There’s a separate filing address just for Venezuelans in Florida, which means we have a massive population,” Ray said.

With a new presidential election on the horizon, fear and uncertainty are what’s to come.

“When you turn immigration into to a hostile experience, it’s certainly scary, and we’ve seen it before, ao there’s a lot of fear right now,” Ray said.

Legal experts say you should always seek immigration services from a viable source.
The U.S. Department of Justice has a list of recognized agencies on their website.