Posner on immigration

In a speech to the Chicago Bar Association, Judge Posner has called the immigration court system "inadequate." Posner identified several areas of concern

--better training in international law
--reliance on the State Department for information about international issues
--a need for clinics to improve the immigration bar
--expanded membership of the Board of Immigration Appeals
--conferences so that judges can compare experiences and improve the system
--barriers to understanding the applicant including a lack of familiarity with body language and the need for interpreters

These problem add up to Judge Posner's conclusion that "personal values and biases" drive the decisions and that "perfunctory review" is often all that occurs.

Desai comments on these 'personal values and biases' influencing decisions.