SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been entering immigration court buildings across Northern California, raising alarms among legal advocates and immigrant rights groups who say the presence is spreading fear, hindering due process, and keeping immigrants from showing up to their hearings.
A joint statement from the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ), the Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Alliance, and the California Immigration Project reported that ICE agents were seen at immigration courts in San Francisco, Concord, and Sacramento. These agents were asking people for their names and IDs. ICE attorneys inside the courtrooms reportedly coordinated with agents outside, even asking judges to dismiss certain cases—actions that could lead to immediate arrests once individuals leave the building.
Related posts
Although Bay Area courts haven’t granted any of these dismissals, CCIJ confirmed one person was arrested outside the Concord courthouse. Advocates say the visible presence of ICE agents, especially those in plain clothes, has already disrupted legal proceedings and created a chilling effect, discouraging many immigrants from attending court.
In response, legal aid groups and community organizations have mobilized to support immigrants. Volunteers, legal observers, and rapid response teams are showing up at courthouses to help individuals understand their rights, challenge ICE motions, and monitor agents’ behavior. Their message: “power, not panic.” Immigrants are being urged to contact local Rapid Response Networks for help and legal assistance.
The effect on attendance has been stark. Victoria Hartanto, an immigration attorney volunteering with the San Francisco Bar Association’s Attorney of the Day program, described an eerily quiet courtroom during a recent hearing. “It’s usually a packed courtroom,” she told NBC News. “Today almost nobody showed up.” Of the 12 people scheduled, only two appeared.
On May 21, Cynthia Ashley, a volunteer with the Concord Court Accompaniment Program, experienced a disturbing encounter. After reminding attendees of their right to remain silent, including someone who was later detained, security escorted her out of the courthouse. “The incident shook me to the core,” she said. “The ICE agents’ display of force and power, and their disregard for this man’s right to plead his case, are beyond comprehension.”
Sergio Jaime Lopez, Community Defender Coordinator with the Contra Costa Immigrant Rights Alliance, spoke to the emotional weight of these actions. “One person didn’t make it home to his family—and I can’t stop thinking about the human side of that,” he said. “This country was built on rights and due process. On days like this, it feels like those rights don’t exist for everyone.”
Angela Chan, Assistant Chief Attorney at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office, urged elected officials to act. “We need local and state leaders to help defend our immigrant communities from this unprecedented attack on due process,” she said. “Increase funding for community defense, including rapid response networks, immigration legal services, public defenders, and grassroots organizing.” She also called for the reinforcement of California’s Sanctuary laws, which limit cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration enforcement.
Kamalpreet Chohan, Coordinator of the Sacramento Attorney of the Day Program with the California Immigration Project, said the ICE presence forces immigrants into “impossible choices.” “Attend their hearing and risk arrest, or stay home and face a deportation order,” she said. “No one should have to make that choice. We’ll keep organizing, speaking out, and spreading know-your-rights information.”
Sean McMahon, Senior Attorney with CCIJ, emphasized community support. “You are not alone. We’re doing everything we can to be there for you in court,” he said. “Reach out to local immigration legal services, lean on your community, and assert your rights.”
Thais Santos, Program Manager with the San Francisco Immigrant Legal and Education Network, issued a powerful warning about the broader consequences. “ICE’s shameful tactics endanger everyone in the U.S. by pushing us closer to a fascist police state,” she said. “If they can go after immigrant communities without due process, they can go after any of us.”
As hearings continue in Northern California, immigrant rights advocates are doubling down on accompaniment, rapid response coordination, and widespread education as essential tools to push back against what they describe as a dangerous erosion of civil liberties in the name of immigration enforcement.
