San Francisco Immigration Court Closes As Immigration Court System Gets Upheaval The immigration court system is experiencing upheaval as the administration looks for ways to manage its massive backlog of 3.8 million asylum cases and deport as many people as possible. Immigration courts have closed in several major cities, and San Francisco is now the first major city left without a primary immigration court. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — There are no immigrants waiting for rulings anymore at San Francisco’s main immigration court, no lawyers making arguments. The court, which had 21 judges when President Donald Trump was sworn in last year, had only two left when it closed May 1. The rest had been fired, retired or resigned amid that has upended the immigration court system as the administration looks for ways to churn through its massive backlog of 3.8 million asylum cases and deport as many people as possible. have soared as the administration has fired almost 100 judges seen as too liberal, and approved using hundreds of military lawyers to replace them. Immigrants have been arrested when they arrive at courthouses or government offices for scheduled appearances.But amid the nationwide upheaval, San Francisco is the first major city to be left without a primary immigration court, leaving chaos and dysfunction in a region long known for its friendliness to asylum seeker