Liliana and Jorge, a couple in their 30s from Michoacán, Mexico, believed they had until 2029 to find an attorney and prepare for their asylum hearing, but in mid-August 2026 they received notice that their hearing had been moved up to Sept. 11 at immigration court in Concord, California. Unable to find a lawyer on short notice, the couple appeared alone with their four children, ages 3, 6, 14 and 15. During the three-hour proceeding, Judge Michael Rapizo told Liliana her lack of evidence reflected a 'lack of diligence' rather than circumstances beyond her control, and said her claimed fear of her ex-partner, who she said is affiliated with a cartel in Michoacán, did not rise to the level of past persecution. 'I feel discouraged,' Liliana said afterward. 'We were not prepared.' An attorney with the California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice said she has seen dozens of immigrants in recent weeks similarly forced into unprepared, fast-tracked hearings without lawyers.