SF Immigration Courts Near Collapse
San Francisco's immigration court system is facing a crisis, with the number of judges plummeting from 21 to just two in the last year. This drastic shortage is creating a severe backlog, threatening to derail and significantly delay immigration and asylum cases throughout the region.
Of the 19 judges who have departed from San Francisco's two downtown immigration courthouses, 12 were fired by the Trump administration, while the others retired, requested transfers, or were appointed to other courts. This sharp decline in judicial staff has left the city's immigration system in a precarious position. With a staggering backlog of at least 120,000 pending cases, the San Francisco court now faces the largest caseload of any immigration court in California. The immense pressure on the remaining two judges means that final hearings are being scheduled as far out as 2029, leaving thousands of immigrants in a state of prolonged uncertainty. This crisis is not isolated to San Francisco. Nationally, the immigration court backlog has surged to a record-breaking 3.7 million cases. This systemic issue is exacerbated by a nationwide shortage of immigration judges, with many courts operating with skeleton crews to manage thousands of cases. The consequences for asylum seekers are particularly dire. The average wait time for an immigration case decision in San Francisco is approximately 2.5 years. These delays can weaken asylum claims as evidence becomes outdated and witnesses become difficult to locate, all while individuals and families remain in legal limbo. Attorneys and immigrant advocates argue that the firings of judges were politically motivated, targeting those with higher-than-average asylum approval rates. The administration, however, has stated that the personnel changes were made to restore "integrity" to the immigration system. The Justice Department has announced that the San Francisco immigration court building's lease will not be renewed, and it is set to close by January 2027. Cases and remaining personnel are expected to be transferred to the Concord Immigration Court, located about 30 miles away. This consolidation is expected to further compound the existing backlogs, creating what some are calling a "mass delay event." Immigrants who have already waited years for their day in court now face the prospect of their cases being pushed back even further. The financial burden on immigrants and the nonprofits that support them is also significant. With canceled and rescheduled hearings, immigrants often have to pay thousands of dollars in legal fees multiple times for the same case preparation.
