(U.S.) The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has restarted thousands of deportation cases paused under President Biden, moving in August 2025 to recalendar old files nationwide under President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem. Officials say the goal is faster removals through tougher detention and expanded expedited removal.
What changed and why it matters
DHS confirms it is now reopening administratively closed cases, some more than a decade old. Immigration courts are receiving government motions to put these cases back on the calendar, even when records are thin or the person has since gained status or died.
The department has also:
– Expanded expedited removal nationwide, effective January 21, 2025.
– Reinstated civil fines for people who ignore final orders.
Tricia McLaughlin, the DHS assistant secretary, defended the shift:
“President Trump and Secretary Noem are following the law and resuming these illegal aliens’ removal proceedings and ensuring their cases are heard by a judge.”
Former ICE chief of staff Jason Hauser described the effort as designed to “get the largest pool possible of people that they can remove.”
Advocacy groups, including the ACLU, are suing to block parts of the plan, arguing due process rights are at risk.
The latest developments
- August 2025: DHS begins recalendaring and reopening long-shelved cases across the country.
- July 2025: ICE issues nearly 10,000 new fine notices and streamlines the civil fine process.
- January 21, 2025: Expedited removal is applied nationwide to people who cannot prove two years of continuous presence in the United States 🇺🇸.
How the restart works
- DHS or ICE files a motion to reopen a previously closed case.
- The immigration court sets a new hearing and sends notice to the last known address.
- If the person or lawyer does not respond or attend, the judge may issue an in absentia removal order.
Lawyers report dockets filling with cases that involve lost files, missing witnesses, or deceased clients. When a government motion is unopposed, judges often grant it, leaving families scrambling to:
– find records,
– locate old counsel, or
– prove they already gained lawful status.
Expedited removal, in plain terms
“Expedited removal” is a fast-track deportation. Officers can remove someone without a judge if the person lacks proof of two years of continuous U.S. presence. A person only sees a judge if they say they fear return and then pass a credible fear interview with an asylum officer.
Key points:
– Applies nationwide, not just near the border.
– Can affect people far from entry.
– People may be detained during the process.
Civil rights groups argue this system blocks access to counsel. The government says it is applying the Immigration and Nationality Act as written.
Detention, fines, and “self-deportation”
- Mandatory detention: ICE now detains nearly all people in removal proceedings, often with limited or no bond.
- Civil fines: Penalties for failing to depart range from $100 to $9,970, with a faster collection process.
- Self-deportation via the CBP Home app: DHS offers a $1,000 stipend and fine forgiveness if someone leaves the country through the app. People who depart this way still face multi‑year or permanent bars on reentry, depending on their unlawful presence.
DHS is also expanding deportations to third countries that agree to receive people, not only to the country of origin. Human rights advocates warn this raises safety and legal access concerns.
Who is most at risk now
- People whose old cases were administratively closed under Biden-era priorities.
- Anyone unable to prove two continuous years in the United States.
- People who miss a newly scheduled hearing and get in absentia orders.
- Detained immigrants with limited access to counsel.
- Families with outdated addresses on file who never receive a notice.
A common scenario: a worker whose case was shelved in 2014 moves, marries, and later gets a temporary status through another route. In 2025, DHS reopens the case, sends a notice to an old address, and the court orders removal when no one appears. The person only learns of it when stopped by police years later. Avoiding that outcome now takes fast action.
Practical steps families can take right away
- Watch your mail and email for court notices from EOIR or ICE.
- If your case was ever closed or delayed, contact your former lawyer or a legal aid group now to check for updates.
- Keep proof of two years’ continuous presence ready (leases, pay stubs, school or medical records).
- If you fear harm in your home country, be ready to state your fear clearly and ask for a credible fear interview.
- Think carefully before choosing self-deportation; the reentry bars can be long and life-changing.
VisaVerge.com reports that legal service providers are seeing a surge in requests from people trying to verify whether DHS has touched their old files.
What this means for employers, students, and mixed‑status families
- Employers may see more worksite arrests and longer I‑9 reverification disputes when staff are detained.
- College students in mixed‑status households could face sudden family separations.
- U.S. citizen children may have a parent detained for months while a reopened case moves forward.
Legal clinics advise having:
– planning documents,
– caregiver consents, and
– backup finances
prepared now rather than during a crisis.
Policy debate and what comes next
- The Trump administration frames the effort as restoring order after what it calls “mass releases” and “indefinite delays.”
- Immigrant advocates say the plan is punitive and sweeps in people with strong ties and even those who later gained status.
- The legal community is split between strict enforcement supporters and attorneys warning of court chaos.
More lawsuits are likely. Outcomes could change how far DHS can push expedited removal and detention. DHS is recruiting more partner countries for deportations and could further streamline removal steps.
One official resource
For agency updates on removal policies, see DHS’s deportation page: https://www.dhs.gov/keywords/deportation
Bottom line
DHS is moving fast to restart old deportation cases, widen fast‑track removals, and detain more people. Families, employers, and schools should prepare now. Missing a notice or lacking proof of two years’ presence could decide a case before anyone speaks to a judge.
This Article in a Nutshell
DHS restarted thousands of administratively closed deportation cases in 2025, expanding expedited removal nationwide. The shift raises due process concerns as courts receive motions to reopen decades-old files, while detention, fines, and self-deportation incentives increase pressure on families, legal services, employers, and immigration courts across the United States.
