No-show rates in immigration court have also increased significantly, on the order of 40%, according to congressional findings. To fix that, Smith suggests the Obama administration is pressuring border patrol to change its procedures.

“Agents are saying that they’re being told not to issue these notices at all, because if they don’t issue a notice then none of it gets recorded,” says Smith. “So, the no-show rates will then go down.”

http://kxan.com/2016/06/21/unaccompanied-children-crossing-southern-border-up-78-in-2016/

Hurray for data manipulation! Or in this case no data at all.

Only 40%? Shit, I would have guessed 90%.

That's just the amount it increased. It went from 65% to 90%.

The only citation in the link is convoluted. It says during the 17 months of data there were 20,802 cases "completed" of which 8,510 cases resulted in removal in absentia, meaning they didn't show up. That's probably where they got the 40% figure from, however 5,944 were "administratively closed" and 4,390 were "terminated" which means they just chose not to pursue charges. I would assume a large chunk of those 10,334 wouldn't have shown up either.

The article says the rate has increased by 40% recently, so 90% is probably a good figure.

I'm so glad that I retired when I did.