Immigration Court Wait Times
How long does an immigration court case take? We analyzed 12.4 million completed proceedings to calculate actual wait times. The overall average is 397 days (1.1 years) — but cases completed in 2022 averaged 2.2 years, and some courts average nearly 3 years.
Key Insights
Average Case Duration by Completion Year
Case Duration Distribution
Slowest Immigration Courts
Fastest Immigration Courts
Case Duration Distribution
| Duration | Cases | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 months | 6,766,531 | 54.7% |
| 6-12 months | 1,610,015 | 13.0% |
| 1-2 years | 1,784,858 | 14.4% |
| 2-3 years | 842,100 | 6.8% |
| 3-5 years | 843,665 | 6.8% |
| 5+ years | 516,151 | 4.2% |
Slowest Immigration Courts
| # | Court | Avg Duration | Cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelmsford, MA (LOW) | 2.7 years | 11,707 |
| 2 | Sterling, VA | 2.6 years | 69,234 |
| 3 | Concord, CA | 2.5 years | 25,325 |
| 4 | Indianapolis, IN | 2.5 years | 8,156 |
| 5 | Van Nuys, CA | 2.4 years | 63,289 |
| 6 | Chelmsford, MA (CHE) | 2.2 years | 21,628 |
| 7 | Hyattsville, MD | 2.1 years | 61,377 |
| 8 | Baton Rouge, LA | 2.1 years | 648 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | 2.1 years | 8,689 |
| 10 | Charlotte, NC | 2.0 years | 161,116 |
| 11 | Houston, TX | 1.8 years | 109,958 |
| 12 | New York, NY | 1.7 years | 779,686 |
Why Wait Times Matter
Longer wait times don't just mean inconvenience. For asylum seekers, years of waiting mean years of uncertainty — unable to fully plan a life, always facing the possibility of deportation. For the government, longer cases mean higher costs (detention, interpreter services, judge time) and a growing backlog that compounds itself.
Why Some Courts Are Faster
The fastest courts tend to be detained dockets — dedicated courts inside immigration detention facilities where cases are expedited because the government is paying to house the respondent. Non-detained courts, especially in major metros with heavy caseloads, have the longest wait times.
The Backlog Effect
With 1.9 million pending cases and only 1,409 judges, each judge carries roughly 1,354 pending cases. Even scheduling a first hearing can take over a year at some courts.
📈 Court Backlog
1.9M pending cases driving wait times up.
🏛️ All Courts
Compare 88 courts by outcomes, caseloads, and speed.
📊 Backlog Crisis
Deep dive into how the backlog grew and why it keeps growing.
📖 Related Analysis
Source: Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). Data current through February 2026. Learn more →