Concord Immigration Court’s Mass Hearings: A New Strategy for Backlog Reduction

The Concord Immigration Court is implementing a new strategy of mass hearings, scheduling up to 100 cases at once. This approach aims to address a significant backlog of immigration cases, which has grown substantially. The court is now handling a much larger caseload following the closure of the San Francisco Immigration Court and the transfer of its cases to Concord. This shift has raised concerns among immigrants and legal advocates about due process and the fairness of these accelerated proceedings.

Mass Hearings at Concord Immigration Court

Concord Immigration Court is now conducting “Mega Master Calendar Hearings,” a method designed to process a large number of cases in a single session. This strategy involves calling groups of 100 or more individuals into court simultaneously. The goal is to move cases forward quickly, whether toward initial pleadings, final hearings, or removal orders. This acceleration means that hearings originally scheduled for years like 2027, 2028, or 2029 are being brought forward into 2026.

This rapid scheduling increases the risk of individuals receiving automatic removal orders if they fail to appear for a hearing, especially if they are not properly notified due to short notice periods. Officials have stated that these measures are intended to reduce the immigration court backlog, which currently stands at a national total of 3.7 million cases. The Department of Justice and the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) are committed to clearing this backlog and processing cases more efficiently.

Impact of San Francisco Court Closure

The increased caseload at Concord is partly due to the closure of the San Francisco Immigration Court. This closure resulted in approximately 120,000 cases being transferred to Concord. Before this transfer, Concord already had a docket of around 60,000 cases, bringing its total to nearly 180,000 cases. This concentration of cases in one suburban court, which is farther from many immigrants’ residences, presents logistical challenges.

The closure of the San Francisco court, a primary venue for removal and asylum proceedings in the Bay Area, has shifted the burden to Concord. This consolidation of regional caseloads adds to the strain on the court system, which is already struggling with a growing national backlog.

Changes in Immigration Judges and Asylum Rates

The immigration court system has also seen significant changes in its judicial staff. Over the past 15 months, approximately 125 immigration judges nationwide have been removed or have resigned. Despite this turnover, EOIR has been working to add new judges, with 77 new immigration judges and 5 temporary military lawyers sworn in recently, marking the largest class in the agency’s history. This expansion of judicial staff is occurring alongside the move towards faster scheduling and mass hearings.

Concurrently, asylum grant rates have seen a sharp decline. In 2026, asylum grant rates have fallen to about 10%, a significant drop from the previous average of 42%. This tightening of asylum outcomes is part of a broader enforcement posture that links faster court processing with increased deportation efforts.

Challenges for Unrepresented Immigrants

The mass hearing format poses particular difficulties for immigrants who do not have legal representation. These individuals, known as pro se respondents, may find it challenging to understand the proceedings, their rights, or to prepare necessary legal documents within the compressed timelines. The large number of people in a single session means less individual attention from judges and court staff.

Immigration lawyers have voiced concerns about due process, arguing that the Mega Master format limits the time immigrants have to secure legal counsel or prepare their cases before critical deadlines. The accelerated hearing dates and the risk of immediate removal orders for missed appearances exacerbate these concerns.

Increased Travel Burden and Fear of Detention

The relocation of cases from San Francisco to Concord has also created a greater travel burden for many immigrants. Traveling to Concord, often by public transit, can require hours of commuting, impacting families who must balance work, childcare, and language barriers. Missing a hearing due to travel issues can have severe consequences, especially when cases have been moved up on the court calendar.

Furthermore, reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests inside and around the Concord Immigration Court building have heightened fear among immigrants. The presence of ICE enforcement actions at the courthouse leads to concerns that attending a required hearing might result in detention, regardless of the case’s outcome. This atmosphere of fear can discourage individuals from attending their hearings.

Expanded Detention Capacity

In parallel with the court system changes, detention capacity has also been expanded. ICE is currently detaining over 70,000 individuals and plans to increase this capacity to 100,000 to support the administration’s deportation agenda. This expansion of detention facilities is seen as a component of a larger enforcement strategy.

Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is developing new rules that could allow the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to reject certain asylum applications based solely on the paper record if they appear to miss the one-year filing deadline. This could bypass the traditional interview process and send applicants directly to immigration court, adding more cases to an already overburdened system. These measures collectively form a structured approach focused on faster screening, tighter scheduling, increased detention, and a court system designed for higher throughput.

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