California Today

Bay Area groups aid immigrants amid court closure

08 May 2026 12:35

The closure of the San Francisco Immigration Court and a shift in judicial focus under the Trump administration are creating severe legal hurdles for immigrants in the Bay Area. - The San Francisco Immigration Court was shut down early, with cases transferred to Concord.

- Approval rates for immigration cases in San Francisco dropped from 80-90% to 40-60%. - Over 3.5 million cases are pending nationwide, with California courts holding over 200,000.

- Local organizations like East Bay Sanctuary Covenant are providing critical legal support. Despite the challenges, attorneys urge clients to fight their cases rather than give up.

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BerkeleySan FranciscoConcordimmigrationcourtpoliticslegal