On Tuesday, the U.S. Justice Department announced that the tens of thousands of undocumented and unaccompanied Central American minors who recently entered the U.S. will be getting priority in immigration courts.

According to The New York Times, the announcement means cases for many of the 52,000 children who have illegally crossed since October can be settled, including deportations, "within months" rather than the average two to three years it takes to navigate the busy court system.

On Wednesday, the Justice Department released its strategy report, Washington Examiner reports. According to Deputy Attorney General James Cole, the department's courts, known as the Executive Office for Immigration Review, will move resources around so that undocumented people who recently crossed the Texas border and that the Department of Homeland Security put into "removal proceedings" will get priority, Washington Examiner said.

"This refocusing of resources will allow EOIR to prioritize the adjudication of the cases of those individuals involved in the evolving situation on the southwest border," Juan P. Osuna, Justice Department director, said in a statement according to Fox News Latino. "Although our case management priorities are shifting, our immigration judges will continue to evaluate and rule upon cases consistent with all substantive and procedural rights and safeguards applicable to immigration proceedings."

The change in priorities will significantly delay a minimum of 50 percent of the 375,000 immigration cases already backlogged, according to officials.

"Recent border crossers will now go to the front of the line before other cases in the system," an unnamed Justice Department official told New York Times. "We are adamant that we are not changing legal standards. We are going to do these cases fast, but we will do them right."

In addition to shifting its priorities, Cole said the Justice Department will work with Central American governments to create a plan to combat high crime rates. The Justice Department will also collaborate with other federal U.S. agencies and the Mexican government to battle the recent influx of undocumented Central American children.

"The department will also redouble its efforts to work with Mexican authorities to identify and apprehend smugglers who are aiding unaccompanied children in crossing the U.S. border," Osuna's statement continued. "Later this week, the Deputy Attorney General will also be meeting with the five U.S. Attorneys who represent the southwest border districts to strategize on ways to disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations on the border that are facilitating the transportation of unaccompanied minors and others."
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Follow Scharon Harding on Twitter: @ScharHar.

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