# Immigrants sent to DC for surprise Baltimore hearings

> Maryland immigrants face confusion as courts order short-notice virtual hearings in Washington D.C.
- Title: Immigrants sent to DC for surprise Baltimore hearings
- Summary: Maryland immigrants face confusion as courts order short-notice virtual hearings in Washington D.C. Immigrants receive last-minute court orders to attend…
- Keywords: baltimore, immigration, virtual hearing, d.c., asylum, haitians, deportation, federal court, miami, biden, trump, immigration court
- Source: The Banner — https://thebanner.com/politics-power/immigration-court-deportation-order-3R4PNTAZ3FGTRNTTJHWDIMKW7I
- Author: Daniel Zawodny,Shayla Colon
- Published: 2026-09-22T09:30:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: baltimore, immigration, virtual hearing, d.c., asylum, haitians, deportation, federal court, miami, biden, trump, immigration court
## Confusion in D.C. hearings
Maryland immigrants report being ordered to Washington D.C. for virtual hearings with Baltimore judges.

> 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.
## Panic at Federal Center Plaza
Immigrants arrive at D.C.’s Federal Center Plaza confused, showing up at McDonald’s instead of the hearing room.

> Everybody was nervous coming there. People don’t feel protected. It’s a trick. It seems like they are trying to get people in trouble.
## Baltimore judge in action
A Baltimore judge conducts virtual hearings from a nearly empty courtroom using a webcam.

> It’s just stacking the deck. It’s frankly embarrassing to me as a former immigration judge.
## Former judge’s criticism
David Koelsch, a former Baltimore immigration judge, says the scheduling trick aims to increase in absentia deportation orders.

> It’s just stacking the deck. It’s frankly embarrassing to me as a former immigration judge.
## Virtual hearing room
A new virtual hearing room in Washington D.C. is used for immigrants who can’t attend in person.

> This is definitely going to drastically increase the amount of removal orders that are being issued, and I think that’s clearly the intent.
## Haitian community impact
Many Haitians from Salisbury attend hearings in D.C. after receiving last-minute court orders.

> The woman he was accompanying never received a notice of the hearing in the mail, and only knew about her court date because she happened to check her online case portal.
## Asylum applications rejected
Baltimore judge rejects most asylum applications due to incomplete paperwork, giving 12 days to resubmit.

> Golparvar rejected each application because it was incomplete, and gave many of them 12 days to resubmit.
## Deportation orders issued
Eight out of 32 people who attended the hearing did not show up and received deportation orders.

> Eight of the 32 people in the afternoon slot did not show up to court and received deportation orders.
## Legal experts debate
Some experts say the virtual hearing room is a practical space reuse, while others call it a Kafkaesque tactic.

> It’s a trick. It seems like they are trying to get people in trouble.
## Due process concerns
Immigrants without attorneys struggle to navigate complex court procedures with minimal notice.

> It’s difficult for people without attorneys to meaningfully represent themselves, both because of the complexity of the law itself and the intricacies of court procedures.
## Key takeaway

Immigrants receive last-minute court orders to attend virtual hearings in D.C. instead of Baltimore, causing confusion and delays.