Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28) announced today that he had secured funding in the recently passed federal funding bill for 55 new immigration judges and support staff to reduce immigration backlogs. The new judges would be in addition to the over 260 immigration judges already in the 58-court system. This system includes 35 judges in nine courts in Texas.

The congressman originally requested this funding in March 2015.

“The latest reports of the immigration backlog show that almost half a million cases are currently pending, and I’m grateful to my friend from Texas, Congressman John Culberson, Chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, for including my request for increased funds for immigration judges and staff to decrease the backlog,” Congressman Cuellar said. “We’ve worked together, across the aisle, since our days in the Texas Legislature on everything from establishing Stonegarden, which provides funding for border sheriffs, to solving this backlog issue. I am grateful for his support.”

“I want to thank Congressman Cuellar for his leadership on this issue,” said Chairman Culberson. “Processing and adjudicating immigration cases is an important part of upholding our nation’s laws. The funding in this bill will help reduce the growing backlog of cases that are holding up our courts and compromising the rule of law. The bill also increases investment in our U.S. Attorneys, Marshals, DEA and ATF agents and others who sit on the front lines of our immigration and criminal justice systems and who are tasked with upholding our laws.”

In addition to the funding for new Judges, Congressman Cuellar advocated language to increase transparency in immigration family detention facilities for those awaiting their day in court.

“We must treat people with the respect and dignity they deserve,” Congressman Cuellar said. “To that end I advocated the increase in transparency at our nation’s immigration detention facilities to ensure people are receiving appropriate food, water, and medical care and are not being treated in inappropriate and demeaning ways. Even in our nation’s detention centers we must adhere to the Golden Rule.”