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Civil rights groups sue to force release of records on mass immigration hearings

Civil rights groups sue to force release of records on mass immigration hearings

Rule Changes San Francisco, CA local

FOIA lawsuit targets 'mega master' hearings that pack 100 or more immigrants into single proceedings

October 19th, 2026: Mission Local reports on the lawsuit

Overview

Updated Oct 25

A lawsuit filed Oct. 15 by two civil rights groups seeks records on 'mega master' immigration hearings, where 100 or more people can be scheduled in a single courtroom session. The Executive Office for Immigration Review, the Justice Department agency that runs the immigration courts, has not released any documents in response to the groups' July 15 request, according to the complaint.

At the Concord court, the last mega master hearing was Oct. 2 and none were scheduled for the rest of October, court observer Jere Ramsey told the San Francisco Standard. Regular master hearings there rose from about 100 in September to 179 in October, with roughly 172,000 cases assigned to the court.

Why it matters

If mass hearings continue without oversight, immigrants can be deported without ever getting a meaningful chance to defend themselves.

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Key Indicators

100+
Immigrants per mega master hearing
Upward of 100 immigration cases may be slated for a single hearing.
80
Average immigrants per Concord mega hearing
Average of 80 immigrants scheduled per mega master hearing in Concord between June and September.
0
Records released by EOIR
EOIR has not released a single record in response to the July FOIA request, according to the complaint.
25
EOIR's recommended maximum per group hearing
EOIR's own 2017 guidance recommended no more than 25 respondents in a group hearing.
179
Regular master hearings in Concord in October
Up from about 100 in September, as newly appointed judges began hearing more cases, according to court observer Jere Ramsey.
172,000
Cases assigned to Concord court
Backlog at the West Coast's largest immigration court, according to the San Francisco Standard.

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People Involved

JG
Jacob Gonzalez
Staff Attorney, Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
Lead attorney on the FOIA lawsuit
MM
Michelle Méndez
Attorney, National Immigration Project
Co-counsel on the FOIA lawsuit

Organizations Involved

Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
Civil rights nonprofit
Plaintiff in the FOIA lawsuit

A San Francisco-based civil rights nonprofit that advocates for racial and social justice, including immigrants' rights.
National Immigration Project
National Immigration Project
Immigration advocacy nonprofit
Co-plaintiff in the FOIA lawsuit

A national nonprofit that provides legal support and advocacy for immigrants and their families.
Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR)
Federal agency within the Department of Justice
Defendant in the FOIA lawsuit

The Justice Department agency that runs the nation's immigration courts and is the defendant in the FOIA lawsuit.

Timeline

2017 October 2026

10 events Latest: October 19th, 2026 · 3 weeks ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Mission Local reports on the lawsuit

    Latest Media

    Mission Local publishes its report on the lawsuit and the mega master hearings at the Concord immigration court.

  2. Lawsuit filed against DOJ and EOIR

    Legal

    LCCRSF and the National Immigration Project file suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, alleging FOIA violations.

  3. No more mega master hearings scheduled in Concord for October

    Data

    Court observer Jere Ramsey said the last mega master hearing at the Concord immigration court was Oct. 2 and none were scheduled for the rest of the month. Regular master hearings rose from about 100 in September to 179 in October, with roughly 172,000 cases assigned to the court.

  4. 17 mega master hearings in Concord

    Data

    Concord court holds 17 mega master hearings in September, with an average of 80 immigrants scheduled per hearing since June.

  5. Plaintiffs respond to clarification notice

    Legal

    Plaintiffs respond to EOIR's deficient clarification notice, making clear they are not narrowing or withdrawing any part of the request.

  6. EOIR puts FOIA request on hold

    Legal

    EOIR places the request on hold through a clarification notice and denies expedited processing, according to the complaint. Plaintiffs say the notice identified no specific ambiguity.

  7. FOIA request filed

    Legal

    LCCRSF and the National Immigration Project file a FOIA request seeking policies, communications, scheduling data, and in-absentia removal order data.

  8. Mega master hearings begin at Concord court

    Policy

    Mega master hearings proliferate at the Concord immigration court, where San Francisco immigrants have had to attend court since the fall.

  9. Reports of abruptly advanced hearings

    Investigation

    News organizations report EOIR is abruptly advancing hearings and placing 100 or more people on single dockets.

  10. EOIR issues group hearing guidance

    Policy

    EOIR guidance to newly appointed immigration judges recommends a maximum of 25 respondents in any group hearing.

Scenarios

1

Court orders EOIR to release records

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Plaintiffs' attorneys at LCCRSF and the National Immigration Project

The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California grants summary judgment for the plaintiffs, finding that EOIR violated FOIA by failing to respond to the records request. The court orders EOIR to conduct a reasonable search and produce non-exempt records on an expedited basis.

2

EOIR releases records before court ruling

Possible Resolves by Q1 2027

Discussed by: Plaintiffs' attorneys

Under pressure from the lawsuit, EOIR produces at least some responsive records before the court issues a ruling. This could happen if the agency decides to avoid an adverse court order or if the court pushes for a negotiated resolution.

3

Case stalls, records stay sealed

Possible Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: Immigration attorneys following the case

The case gets bogged down in procedural disputes, or the court allows EOIR to withhold records on law enforcement or other exemption grounds. The plaintiffs may appeal, extending the timeline and keeping the records out of public view.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

December 2005 - 2014

Operation Streamline (2005-2014)

A zero-tolerance border enforcement program in Del Rio, Texas, that processed illegal border crossers in mass hearings. Dozens of defendants appeared together, were convicted, and were sentenced in minutes, often without individual legal representation.

Then

Thousands were convicted and deported quickly, but the program drew sharp criticism from due process advocates.

Now

It set a precedent for mass processing of immigration cases, though it was later scaled back due to resource constraints and legal challenges.

Why this matters now

Shows the precedent of mass immigration hearings and the due process concerns they raise, which are central to the current mega master hearings.

March 2019

ACLU v. FBI FOIA lawsuit (2019)

The ACLU and MediaJustice filed a FOIA lawsuit seeking records about FBI targeting of Black activists, after the FBI failed to respond to a records request about a 2017 intelligence assessment.

Then

The lawsuit forced the FBI to process and release records about the assessment.

Now

Demonstrated that FOIA lawsuits can compel government transparency about surveillance and targeting.

Why this matters now

Shows the mechanism of using FOIA lawsuits to force government transparency, the same mechanism the civil rights groups are using here.

Sources

(5)
+1
Mission Local Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area ABC7 San Francisco The San Francisco Standard U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California