The Justice Department is preparing to send immigration judges to 12 cities around the country to expedite the deportation process for undocumented immigrants charged with crimes, Reuters reported on Friday.

The judges will be temporarily reassigned to Baltimore; Los Angeles; Miami; New Orleans; New York; San Francisco; Bloomington, Minn.; El Paso, Texas; Harlingen, Texas; Imperial, Calif.; Omaha, Neb. and Phoenix, Ariz.

Those cities have more than half of the country’s pending cases in which undocumented immigrants are facing criminal charges, Reuters reported.

ADVERTISEMENT

The number of judges that would be reassigned and the timeline are still being reviewed, according to Reuters. The move was requested by the Department of Homeland Security.

As a candidate, President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE vowed to ramp up efforts to deport undocumented immigrants, particularly those involved in crime.

The president signed an executive order in January, days after taking office, cracking down on undocumented immigration and ramping up border security efforts. Trump has also authorized the construction of a massive wall along the country’s southern border.

The Trump administration is also temporarily increasing the number of immigration judges at detention centers near the U.S.-Mexico border.