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Judges’ Crackdown On Virtual Hearings in Honolulu Adds Hurdles For Immigrants In Court

New judges have required in-person appearances in 87% of neighbor-island cases and 18 out-of-state cases, raising travel costs and missed work.

  • Honolulu immigration judges are increasingly requiring in-person hearings for migrants, significantly raising travel costs and logistical barriers for individuals fighting deportation charges.
  • The court moved away from previous virtual hearing policies after new judges arrived in June and July, following the Trump administration's March 2025 rescission of a 2022 memo endorsing video conferencing.
  • In July and August, Honolulu judges required 18 out-of-state individuals to appear in person, a rise from 14% to 82% compared to last year; 87% of neighbor islanders also traveled to Oahu for hearings.
  • Alaska-Based attorney Margaret Stock said the combined cost of mandatory trips to Honolulu is 'a story of its own,' noting many migrants cannot afford travel or legal representation.
  • Former immigration judge Dana Leigh Marks said the shift aims to make things tougher for immigrants, alleging the Trump administration is capitalizing on in-person requirements to increase deportations.
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Judges’ Crackdown On Virtual Hearings in Honolulu Adds Hurdles For Immigrants In Court

New judges at Honolulu’s immigration court are requiring immigrants and their attorneys to appear in person for hearings at least four times as often in a turn away from virtual hearings, driving up costs and adding barriers for people fighting deportation.

·New York, United States
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"What do you think could be the reason why these two 'high' judges, who are politically incompatible and even almost hostile to each other, and others who make decisions based on their views, submit to the same and single will that transcends them?"

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Civil Beat broke the news in Honolulu, United States on Tuesday, September 29, 2026.
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