San Francisco Immigration Court Closure Disrupts Asylum Cases Amid Judge Purge
The San Francisco immigration court has been closed following a significant reduction in its number of judges, a result of a purge initiated by the Trump administration. Originally staffed with 21 judges, the court was left with only two by May 1, leading to its closure. This development is part of a broader strategy to address a backlog of 3.8 million asylum cases and increase deportations. The administration has replaced nearly 100 judges with military lawyers, leading to increased asylum denial rates. The closure has transferred approximately 117,000 cases to a courthouse in Concord, California, which is already overwhelmed with a caseload of 60,000. The San Francisco court was known for its high rate of asylum approvals, attributed to its supportive legal environment for immigrants. 
