The federal government closed the San Francisco Immigration Court at 100 Montgomery Street ahead of schedule, leaving thousands of immigration cases in transition and prompting concerns among legal advocates about delays and confusion.
The closure, which took effect prior to the originally planned timeline, impacts a court widely considered a central hub for immigration proceedings in the United States.
During the court’s final hours of operation, only one individual remained in line for services as operations concluded.
Legal experts and advocates say the shutdown places approximately 15,000 cases in uncertainty within San Francisco alone.
Bill Hing, a professor of law and migration studies at the University of San Francisco, described the scope of the impact.
“We are talking about 15,000 cases that are in limbo in San Francisco. It’s a major hub of immigration in the U.S. Many people who are applying for asylum come to San Francisco, come to the Bay Area, and this is major blow for them,” Hing said.
Ahead of the May 1 closure, the Department of Justice dismissed at least 20 of the court’s 22 immigration judges.
One of those judges, Jeremiah Johnson, spoke publicly in December about his termination.
Hellbound and Down 