Maryland immigrants are facing confusion over new virtual hearing arrangements that require them to report to Washington, D.C., while judges conduct proceedings remotely from Baltimore.
Some immigrants in Maryland are grappling with new immigration hearing protocols that require them to report to a federal building in Washington, D.C., for hearings conducted virtually by judges located in Baltimore. This arrangement has sparked confusion regarding the appropriate location for hearings.
The designated Washington location is situated in the Federal Center Plaza, which is over 30 miles from Baltimore and is not affiliated with any known immigration court. On September 9, a total of 76 individuals attended hearings at this site, with many traveling from various parts of Maryland, including a group of Haitians from Salisbury.
Several attendees reported receiving notifications only days prior to their hearings, indicating that previously scheduled dates had been moved up unexpectedly. Upon arriving at the Washington facility, many individuals struggled to find the correct hearing room due to a lack of directional signage. Some even ended up in a McDonald’s on the first floor while attempting to locate their designated hearing area.
The hearings were presided over by Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Kuyomars Golparvar, who conducted the proceedings from the largely empty George H. Fallon Federal Building in Baltimore. Former Baltimore immigration judge David Koelsch criticized the new arrangement, questioning the necessity of requiring immigrants to travel to a different city for a hearing that is being conducted remotely.
“There’s really no reason for doing this other than trying to jam people, hoping they’re not going to get the notice, hoping they’re not going to show up at this obscure office in D.C.,” Koelsch stated.
In contrast, Andrew Arthur, a former immigration judge in York, Pennsylvania, suggested that the decision to hold hearings in Washington may stem from space limitations at Baltimore’s immigration court, which has been struggling to accommodate the increasing number of individuals appearing for hearings. He described the Washington hearing room as a potential practical use of available federal space.
The Justice Department has indicated that addressing the immigration court backlog is a priority for the Trump administration, asserting that individuals appearing before immigration judges are afforded due process. Kathryn Mattingly, a spokesperson for the Justice Department’s Executive Office of Immigration Review, noted that the agency would continue to make scheduling adjustments and open new hearing locations as necessary.
However, this new arrangement has raised concerns regarding the adequacy of notice provided to immigrants. Immigration attorney Katherine Stenlake pointed out that individuals without legal representation often face challenges navigating the complexities of immigration law and court procedures. She highlighted that court regulations typically require a minimum of 10 days’ notice before a scheduled hearing, while the Baltimore court has historically provided months of advance notice.
During the afternoon docket, 32 individuals appeared before Judge Golparvar in Baltimore. Many of these individuals were Haitians who had entered the United States through a Biden-era parole program or had previously held Temporary Protected Status. The majority had filed asylum applications, which were ultimately rejected by Golparvar due to incompleteness, with many applicants being given a 12-day window to resubmit their applications.
One individual who mistakenly went to Baltimore instead of Washington was granted two weeks to secure an attorney before returning for his next hearing at the Washington location. Out of the 32 individuals scheduled for the afternoon session, eight did not appear and subsequently received deportation orders.
Jimmy Norgues, a community advocate from Salisbury, accompanied another member of the Haitian community to Washington and expressed concern about the anxiety this situation has created. “Everybody was nervous coming there. People don’t feel protected,” Norgues remarked. “It’s a trick. It seems like they are trying to get people in trouble.”
As the situation continues to evolve, many Maryland immigrants remain uncertain about the implications of these changes on their legal proceedings.
According to The American Bazaar, the confusion surrounding the new hearing arrangements highlights the challenges faced by immigrants navigating the complexities of the U.S. immigration system.