Expedited immigration hearings face pushback from Oregon delegation
Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) --- Oregon's congressional delegation today demanded that the Trump administration end expedited “mega master” immigration hearings, warning that fast-tracked court proceedings in Oregon and Washington are depriving immigrants of constitutional due process.
The letter was signed by Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with Reps. Suzanne Bonamici, Andrea Salinas, Val Hoyle, Maxine Dexter and Janelle Bynum.
The Oregon lawmakers sent the letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche, executive Office for Immigration Review Acting Director Sirce E. Owen and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director David Venturella. They called for an end to mass hearings that review hundreds of immigration cases in a single day, arguing the policy prevents individuals from securing legal representation and receiving fair judicial review.
In Oregon, the Portland Immigration Court is holding approximately two “mega master” hearings each week while maintaining its pre-scheduled docket and individual merit hearings. Lawmakers said immigrants expecting court dates in 2027 or 2028 are suddenly required to appear on short notice, forcing them to arrange immediate transportation and secure legal representation. In their letter, Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Salinas, Hoyle, Dexter and Bynum wrote, “Over the past year, your agencies have increased the number of immigrants who must appear on little-to-no notice for so-called 'mega master' hearings on overcrowded dockets in front of Trump's handpicked judges at courts across the country, all while stripping immigrants of their legal status, ramping up arrests and detention and limiting their access to legal counsel for representation in court and fast-tracked asylum interviews.”
The Oregon lawmakers emphasized the local impact of the expedited proceedings, writing, “These policy changes confuse and terrify law-abiding immigrants in our communities and prevent them from having a fair day in court.” The delegation added, “This unwarranted blitzkrieg of assaults on justice and fair treatment raises serious constitutional concerns and is unworthy of the oaths you swore to uphold.”
The letter also outlined recent policy changes at the neighboring Tacoma Immigration Court in Washington. Starting in mid-August, judges at the facility stopped allowing attorneys across Oregon, Idaho and Alaska to appear remotely via video conferencing on behalf of clients held at the regional detention facility. The lawmakers wrote, “As if the changes at the Portland Immigration Court weren't bad enough, the neighboring Tacoma Immigration Court has now had judges deciding in mid-August to stop allowing immigration attorneys across Oregon, Idaho and Alaska from appearing remotely on behalf of their clients detained at the regional detention center.”
Under the new rules in Tacoma, defense attorneys and expert witnesses must attend hearings in person, while Department of Homeland Security government lawyers are permitted to participate remotely. Presiding judges also appear remotely in roughly half of the cases requiring in-person attendance by defense counsel, according to attorneys. Furthermore, courts have issued “notices to appear” on the morning of scheduled hearings, leaving attorneys minimal time to prepare or arrange travel. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has also routinely restricted attorney access to clients and transferred detainees to distant facilities across the country.
Calling for structural reform, the lawmakers urged federal agencies to end political influence in court proceedings. “Immigration court proceedings must uphold fairness and rule of law and not be politicized to satisfy Donald Trump's arbitrary detention quotas,” the delegation wrote. “We call on the Trump administration to discontinue policies and tactics that undermine constitutional due process. Our legal system relies on accountability; therefore, we demand that you establish fair and meaningful hearings that provide a genuine day in court and uphold the integrity of our nation's immigration system.”
The lawmakers requested a written response from the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security by Oct. 15, 2026. The requested response must outline steps to terminate “mega master” hearings, provide immigrants with sufficient advance notice, reduce travel hardships for attorneys and ensure immigration judges hear cases individually without political influence.
