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A record backlog in US immigration courts

The lawsuit against the Arizona immigration law aside, Obama has devoted nearly all his efforts on immigration to ramped up enforcement, and his administration is on track to deport a record number of illegal immigrants. Immigration and Customs Enforcement explains… There were nearly 248,000 cases pending by the middle of June this

…s taken to conclude immigration cases during 2010
reached 459 days, a number higher than any year since at least 1998. By state, California remains the leader in average wait times with more than 640 days. One hearing location in San Diego posted an extraordinary average wait time of nearly 1,300 days, or to put it another way, more than three years.

The massive backlog is partly the result of more aggressive enforcement, as the administration has moved swiftly to conduct audits of businesses that hire immigrants, expand programs like Secure Communities — which allows local law enforcement to target illegal immigrants with criminal records — and target illegal immigrants with alleged gang ties. And the number of immigration cases will continue piling up in the absence of a comprehensive immigration overhaul and a pathway to legal status for illegal immigrants. Political gridlock has kept Congress from even debating such a bill, according to the Democratic leadership. The pressure to tackle immigration…

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A record backlog in US immigration courts

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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s firm gets cut of 9/11-suit

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver has spun the 9/11 lawsuits into gold.

…Napoli Bern, the law partnership representing the 9/11 workers, “had to lay out $20 million to $30 million” to fight the cases for six years against City Hall, which at first refused to pay a dime to ailing workers. The firm “borrowed most of it,” the source said, adding that the lawyers would have to repay the loans themselves if they lost the cases. “They took the risk.” Napoli said his firm took out various loans “at the best rates we could find,” but would not answer further questions. But now, lawyers are trying to pass on the interest costs to their 9/11 clients. Manhattan federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein has called a hearing next week to investigate whether the lawyers have overcharged their clients. Out of the proposed maximum $712 million settlement, the lawyers are expected to collect nearly $200 million in fees and expenses — including “repayment of interest expenses.” Workers said they had no knowledge of the loans and no idea they would be socked with the interest charges. Some were stunned when…

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Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s firm gets cut of 9/11-suit

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