The US government closed the immigration court at 100 Montgomery Street in San Francisco earlier than planned, leaving thousands of cases in limbo and raising concerns among lawyers and advocates about delays and missed hearings.The closure went into effect eight months ahead of schedule and ended operations at one of the nation’s busiest immigration courts. On its final day, only one person was seen waiting for services.The move marked a quiet end for a facility that had handled a large number of asylum and deportation cases.According to legal experts, the closure affects about 15,000 pending cases.The impact is significant, said Bill Henig, a professor of law and immigration studies at the University of San Francisco.
“We’re talking about 15,000 cases that are still in limbo in San Francisco,” he said, according to ABC News. “It’s a major immigration hub in the United States. A lot of people who are applying for asylum are coming to San Francisco, coming to the Bay Area, and this is a big blow to them.”In the months leading up to the shutdown, the Justice Department fired at least 20 of the court’s 22 immigration judges.One of the dismissed judges, Jeremiah Johnson, questioned the reason for his dismissal.
When asked why he was expelled, Johnson said: “For doing my job. Immigration judges are first in deportation proceedings. That’s what the law says.”Some legal observers believe the court’s asylum approval rates may have influenced the decision. Heng pointed out that the dismissals are linked to the outcome of the case. “They wanted to get rid of immigration judges who were fair when it came to asylum cases, and that’s the real reason this court was closed,” he said.The Executive Office for Immigration Review said the decision was made for administrative reasons. It stated that it “determined that it would be more cost effective to move the court operations at 100 Montgomery Street to the nearby immigration court in Concord.”However, the transfer has raised concerns about further delays. Immigration advocates say the Concord court already has a large caseload and hearings may not begin until later in the year.“In San Francisco, there are 120,000 cases pending. In Concord it’s half — 60,000 — and that’s where we are. What we’re hearing from the court in Concord is that they won’t start hearings until December,” said Sergio Jaime Lopez, director of the Community Advocates Program at the Secure Center.The Executive Office for Immigration Review also said new hearing notices would be issued to affected individuals. However, legal advocates warn that confusion over transferring cases could lead to missed court dates and possible deportation orders.Full Ministry of Justice statement: EOIR to Close San Francisco Immigration Court’s Sansom Street Location to Become Hearing Site FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced today that the San Francisco Immigration Court will close permanently, and its Sansom Street location will become a hearing site under the administrative control of the Concord Immigration Court, upon completion of the operation in September. November 4, 2026. EOIR, in cooperation with the General Services Administration, determined that it would be more cost effective to move court operations at 100 Montgomery Street to the nearby Concord Immigration Court. EOIR will begin issuing new hearing notices to all parties whose cases have been reassigned to the Immigration Court in Concord. Cases will still be adjudicated in a timely manner either in Concord Immigration Court or remotely. – EOI”- Executive Office for Immigration Review, Department of Justice.”
