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Immigration judges ordered to cut time for abused children awaiting visas before deportation

Sep 4, 2026

The Trump administration has instructed U.S. immigration judges to sharply limit continuances, the legal tool used to give immigrants time to find attorneys or await approval of visas or green cards. Training materials obtained by the Guardian show judges are discouraged from granting more than 10 days to secure legal counsel, even for abused or abandoned children and survivors of violent crime. Critics warn the policy will result in deportations of people who would otherwise have qualified for legal protections to remain in the U.S.

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