Part 8/12:
The core of this bureaucratic failure involves the Notice to Appear (NTA), a crucial document issued by the Department of Homeland Security that officially initiates removal proceedings against non-citizens apprehended in the US. An NTA functions akin to an indictment, informing the individual of charges and setting a date for a court hearing. For these cases to proceed, NTAs must be filed correctly with the immigration court systems. When this filing does not occur, the case must be dismissed, effectively allowing the individual to remain in the US legally, at least temporarily.