Legal providers are attempting to bridge the gap between legal representation and removal proceedings, highlighting the benefits of attorneys in the U.S. According to the immigration data clearinghouse TRAC, 1 in 4 of the roughly 77,000 immigrants with cases pending in Chicago had formal legal representation. This is in large part as unlike criminal prosecution, the immigration system does not entitle respondents to an attorney. A study found that attorneys who had assistance from attorneys were five times more likely to receive relief that allowed them to continue their lives in the US. The number of removal proceedings has increased so quickly that it outstripped the number of lawyers available to represent people. In response to this, the Cook County public defender’s office in 2020 will start its own immigration division to represent noncitizen Cook County residents facing criminal charges and potentially those facing possible removal.