US government has shut down 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 took effect eight months ahead of schedule and ended operations at one of the country’s busiest immigration courts. On its final day, only one person was seen waiting for services.The step marked a quiet end to a facility that handled a large volume of asylum and removal cases.According to legal experts, the shutdown affects around 15,000 pending cases.Bill Hing, a professor of law and migration studies at the University of San Francisco, said the impact is significant. “We are talking about 15,000 cases that are in limbo in San Francisco. It’s a major hub of immigration in the US Many people who are applying for asylum come to San Francisco, come to the Bay Area, and this is major blow for them,” he said, according to ABC News.In the months leading up to the closure, the Department of Justice (DOJ) removed at least 20 of the court’s 22 immigration judges.One of the dismissed judges, Jeremiah Johnson, questioned why he was terminated. When asked why he believed he was fired, Johnson said, “For doing my job. Immigration judges precede over removal proceedings. That is what the law states.”Some legal observers believe the court’s asylum approval rates may have influenced the decision. Hing suggested the dismissals were linked to case outcomes. “They wanted to get rid of immigration judges that were fair when it came to asylum cases, so that is the real reason for closing this court,” he said.The Executive Office for Immigration Review said the decision was made for administrative reasons. It stated it “determined it would be more cost effective to relocate its court operations at 100 Montgomery Street to the nearby Concord Immigration Court.”However, the relocation has raised concerns about further delays. Immigration advocates say the Concord court already has a heavy caseload and may not begin hearings until later in the year.“In San Francisco, there are 120,000 cases pending. In Concord is half — 60,000 — and that’s where we are. What we are hearing from the court in Concord is that they won’t start the hearings until December,” said Sergio Jaime-Lopez, community defender program manager for the Safe Center.The Executive Office for Immigration Review also said new hearing notices will be issued to affected individuals. Despite this, legal advocates warn that confusion over case transfers could lead to missed court dates and possible deportation orders.Full DOJ statement: “EOIR to Close the San Francisco Immigration Court Court’s Sansome Street Location Will Become a Hearing Location FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced today that the San Francisco Immigration Court will permanently close, and its Sansome Street location will become a hearing location under the administrative control of the Concord Immigration Court, at the close of business on Sept. 4, 2026. EOIR, working with the General Services Administration, determined it would be more cost effective to relocate its court operations at 100 Montgomery Street to the nearby Concord Immigration Court. EOIR will begin issuing new hearing notices to all parties whose cases are reassigned to the Concord Immigration Court. Cases will still be timely adjudicated either at the Concord Immigration Court or remotely. – EOI”- Executive Office for Immigration Review, DOJ.”
