--- title: Immigration judges face a growing backlog of cases description: The America’s Work Force Union Podcast is the nation’s premier daily labor program. Hon. Mimi Tsankov joined us on today’s show. image: https://awf.labortools.com/hubfs/AWF-blog-image-template_blue_AWF-1.jpg --- 1 min read Season 4, Episode 214 # Immigration judges face a growing backlog of cases [ awfblog ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/author/awfblog) October 30, 2023 [Education](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/education) [Labor Issues](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/labor-issues) [Event](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/event) [Government](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/government) [AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/awf) [Government Affairs and Policy](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/government-affairs-and-policy) [Economic Impact](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/economic-impact) [Union Issues](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/union-issues) [Congress](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/congress) [NAIJ](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/tag/naij) ![AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_AWF](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_AWF.jpg?width=407&height=407&name=AWF-Blogo-Logos-Template-400x400_AWF.jpg)   Guest Name: --- Hon. Mimi Tsankov Guest Website: --- [NAIJ](https://www.naij-usa.org/)  Guest Social Media: --- [ Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/) [ Twitter](https://twitter.com/Imm_Judges_NAIJ) [ YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/) [ LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/) Supportive Documents: --- President of the [National Association of Immigration Judges](https://www.naij-usa.org/), Judge Mimi Tsankov, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the union certification for the NAIJ, the growing backlog of immigration cases and issues they face with consistent funding. The NAIJ previously served as the recognized bargaining unit representing Immigration judges. However, after the previous administration decertified the organization, the NAIJ has been forced to wait before reapplying for recertification. The delay has been caused by a lack of a third member of the National Labor Relations Authority. Congress must appoint a third member before any action can be taken, but Tsankov said the nearly 700-plus NAIJ members are ready with their union cards for the moment they can take the next step in their fight for recertification. As of August 2023, there is a backlog of over 2.6 million pending immigration cases. This is a number that Tsankov has seen grow over the past five years. In 2018, there were almost 1 million backlogged immigration cases, but following the pandemic, the backlog has ballooned. To fight the growing backlog, Tsankov recently testified in front of Congress to seek much-needed changes to the process to help alleviate the issues creating this backlog. Because the NAIJ is housed within the Department of Justice, the organization faces several issues that are creating a lack of funding and these issues were raised during Tsankov’s testimony. The Immigration Court is a court within a law enforcement agency. This means law enforcement priorities get funded first before any non-law enforcement-related groups in the agency. Also, as there are new administrations and swings in government control, different agency areas take priority, meaning they receive the funding first, Tsankov said. To hear more from Tsankov, please listen to the show above. --- America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues. America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes-IBT, Boyd Watterson, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, Mechanical Insulators Labor Management Cooperative Trust, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, Melwood, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of North America, The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers. - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ##### SUBSCRIBE ON: --- [![Group 342](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png?width=171&name=Apple%20Podcasts%20Button-Dark.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/id1511224946) [![Group 341](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/AmericasWorkForce/podcast%20logos/Spotify%20Button-Dark.png?width=100&name=Spotify%20Button-Dark.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/0GzkHxFSBxiXvuX0lZpQBn) [![Group 343](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20343.png?width=135&name=Group%20343.png)](https://www.iheart.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast-62567752/) [![Group 339](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20339.png?width=110&name=Group%20339.png)](https://www.pandora.com/podcast/americas-work-force-union-podcast/PC:47979) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Group%20397.png?width=125&name=Group%20397.png)](https://americasworkforceradiopodcast.podbean.com/) [![Group 397](https://awf.labortools.com/hs-fs/hubfs/YouTube_button.png?width=125&name=YouTube_button.png)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuQo1PAtRAel1_tS7-PQOkA)   #### [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat](https://awf.labortools.com/listen/brotherhood-of-railroad-signalmen-on-the-union-pacific-merger-threat) : July 6, 2026 # Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen on the Union Pacific Merger Threat Brandon Elvey, Secretary-Treasurer of the [Brotherhood of Railroad Signalmen](https://www.brs.org/),... 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