San Francisco Immigration Court to Close, Cases Move to Concord Court

 Posted on February 18, 2026 in Immigration

If you have a case at the San Francisco Immigration Court, you are probably wondering what is going to happen to your case. The San Francisco Immigration Court is closing, and most cases will be moved to the Concord Immigration Court. This is causing confusion and fear for many families whose loved ones have upcoming appointments that were meant to be heard this year. 

If your case is being moved from San Francisco in 2026, our Concord immigration attorneys are right here and ready to help.

What Is Happening to the San Francisco Immigration Court in 2026?

The San Francisco Immigration Court is shutting its doors by January 2027. All remaining court personnel are being transferred to the Concord Immigration Court, which is about 30 miles away. A small number of courtrooms at the Department of Homeland Security's San Francisco detention facility at 630 Sansome Street will remain open, but the main courthouse is closing.

The closure is not happening in a vacuum. The Trump administration fired nearly 100 immigration judges in 2025, and the San Francisco court was hit especially hard. This has created serious backlogs in immigration cases for tens of thousands of people. According to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, the remaining judges now face roughly 121,000 pending immigration cases. Many of those cases are already being pushed back as far as 2030.

The government says moving to Concord will be more cost-effective. But immigration lawyers and advocates worry it will cause major delays and make things harder for immigrants who have already been waiting years for their day in court.

What Does the San Francisco Court Closure Mean for My Immigration Case?

If your case was filed or scheduled at the San Francisco Immigration Court, here is what you should know:

Your Case Will Likely Be Transferred to Concord

The government plans to transfer cases to the Concord Immigration Court or hold some hearings remotely. The Concord court opened in early 2024 specifically to help reduce the pressure on San Francisco, which was one of the busiest immigration courts in the country. However, Concord has already experienced staff reductions and its own growing backlog. Receiving tens of thousands of additional cases will put enormous strain on that court.

Your Hearings Could Be Delayed Even Further

Immigration courts are already overwhelmed nationwide. Courts in at least two cities, Aurora, Colorado, and Oakdale, Louisiana, have been left with no judges at all. If your case gets moved, you should expect delays. That is all the more reason to have an attorney actively watching your case and keeping you informed.

You Still Have Rights in Immigration Court

Under 8 U.S.C. § 1229a, you have the right to a full removal hearing before an immigration judge. You have the right to present evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine the government's witnesses. These rights do not disappear because the court moves locations or faces staffing challenges. Understanding and protecting those rights is exactly what an experienced immigration attorney is there for.

Hafey & Karim’s New Office Is Right Next to the Concord Immigration Court

When your case is transferred to Concord, you need an attorney who knows that courthouse, who can get there quickly, and who is already working with clients in that system. We also understand that the South Asian and Muslim communities in the Bay Area and Concord have a lot riding on what happens with these court transfers. Our firm was founded to serve those communities. 

Immigration court is not paperwork. It is a real courtroom where you testify under oath, the government presents arguments against you, and a judge makes a life-changing decision. The right attorney is one who knows how to prepare your case, question witnesses, and stand up for you in front of a judge.

Call a Concord, CA Immigration Attorney Near Concord Immigration Court

If your case is being moved from San Francisco to Concord, now is the time to make sure you have the right legal support in place. The office of Bay Area immigration lawyers at Hafey & Karim is located just minutes from the Concord Immigration Court. 

We serve clients throughout the Bay Area and offer support in English and Bengali, with translators available in Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, and Urdu. Call Hafey & Karim at 214-506-0671 to schedule a consultation today.