In the heart of Concord, California, 71‑year‑old Jere Ramsey has become the unofficial record‑keeper for the city’s immigration courtroom. Every weekday she arrives at 7:30 a.m., notebook in hand, to capture the names of illegal immigrants scheduled for hearings before the screen scrolls away.
Volunteer effort fills government data gap
Ramsey, a retired businesswoman and former Cal Poly lecturer, manages a group of roughly three dozen senior volunteers known as “court observers.” Their mission is simple: watch the proceedings, note each immigrant’s case type, whether they have legal counsel, any criminal history, and the judge’s decision. At night Ramsey compiles the information into a monthly statistical report that she distributes to local advocacy groups and policymakers.
The latest ten‑page report shows troubling trends. In July, only 20 % of illegal immigrants appearing before the court had an attorney, down from a 35 % average between November 2023 and May 2026. The drop coincides with a surge in hearings—up from 54 in June to 104 scheduled for September—as the San Francisco immigration courts closed and Concord became the Bay Area’s de facto immigration hub.
High no‑show and removal rates
Ramsey’s data also reveal that 47 % of scheduled immigrants failed to appear for their hearings, and of those no‑shows, 81 % were ordered removed—a record high. From November 2025 to July 2026, the average removal‑order rate for absent immigrants was 67 %.
“I do not trust the government to keep the data; we have to check it ourselves,” Ramsey said, emphasizing the importance of on‑the‑ground witnesses in a system where federal statistics can lag months.
Community impact and advocacy
Local groups rely on Ramsey’s numbers to raise funds and to press for procedural fairness. When judges recently limited the number of volunteers allowed inside the courtroom, the data helped the volunteers reach out to the ACLU for assistance.
Sergio Lopez, coordinator of the “welcome navigators” volunteer network, praised Ramsey’s work, noting that her real‑time figures are more current than federal reports, which often miss details such as attorney representation or hearing outcomes.
Concerns over court practices
While Ramsey acknowledges that most government attorneys and immigration judges follow established rules, she warns that recent policy shifts have eroded fairness. Increased filing fees, sudden advancement of court dates without notice, and reduced individualized time with judges have all strained the system.
One notable incident involved Judge Emmanuel Garcia, who, appearing remotely from Texas, told a family of four to file separate asylum applications for each child, imposing a $100 fee per child—a practice Ramsey says is not standard. She described the judge as “uniformly and assertively rude” and is considering filing a formal complaint.
Volunteer shortages and future outlook
Ramsey admits her team is stretched thin. “This month I just do not have enough people,” she said, but she remains resolute. She believes that as long as illegal immigrants can present their cases, the system—though sometimes harsh—must be documented and, when necessary, reformed.
Her ultimate goal is to ensure a reliable record of court actions, especially concerning the controversial practice of sending illegal immigrants to third countries where they have never lived. “That isn’t okay, and I want a record of it,” Ramsey affirmed.
Original reporting: Mission Local — read the source article.
