Graphical Highlights
 
Judge-by-Judge Asylum Decisions in Immigration Court
Before and After the Attorney General's Directive

Immigration Court Judge Decisions FY2004 to FY2006 FY2007 to FY2009
New York Hom, Sandy K. 1,377 87.6 66.5
Jankun, William F. 211 86.3 -
Nelson, Barbara A. 1,412 69.6 64.1
Opaciuch, Adam 651 64.1 -
Hladylowycz, Roxanne C. 475 62.6 -
Abrams, Steven R. 994 61.9 60
Defonzo, Paul A. 1,162 56.7 47.5
Videla, Gabriel C. 871 53 38.6
Chase, Jeffrey S. 755 50.7 28.9
Bukszpan, Joanna M. 1,439 47.8 27.4
Ferris, Noel Anne 945 42.8 36.4
Weisel, Robert D. 1,486 36.5 32.4
Mulligan, Thomas J. 1,065 36.1 23
Sichel, Helen J. 1,681 34.9 17.3
Morace, Philip L. 1,915 33.9 27.9
Elstein, Annette S. 1,523 29.6 21
Schoppert, Douglas B. 1,577 27.8 26.4
Chew, George T. 2,044 26.8 28.7
Holmes-Simmons, Theresa 1,438 26.8 12.9
Burr, Sarah M. 1,268 25.9 27.8
Laforest, Bridgette 1,831 24.7 13.5
Rohan, Patricia A. 1,616 20.9 32
Lamb, Elizabeth A. 1,616 20.7 10.7
Brennan, Noel A. 1,665 19.6 6.4
Gordon-Uruakpa, Vivienne E. 1,829 19.3 20.3
Wyke, William Van 1,644 13.2 9.7
McManus, Margaret 1,783 12.2 14.1
Bain, Terry A. 2,032 6.7 5.2
Balasquide, Javier E. 659 - 33.8
Miami Opaciuch, Adam 736 91.4 90
Hanson, Mahlon F. 1,289 97.8 88.5
Opaciuch, John 1,314 94 77.8
Ford, Rex J. 950 92 90.5
Sanders, Charles J. 1,312 91.2 78.5
Marks Lane, Denise A. 1,480 90.3 84.4
Wilson, Earle B. 608 89.7 85.2
Metcalf, Mark H. 431 89 90.2
Chapa, Teofilo 1,099 88.6 83.7
Dowell, J. Daniel 1,224 86.4 72.4
Bradley, Kevin G. 919 86.2 79.9
Torreh-Bayouth, Lilliana 1,618 84.6 80.9
Solow, Bruce W. 1,739 81.9 70.5
Holliday, Carey R. 889 81.7 83.8
Sonom, Ronald G. 723 81.5 -
Miranda, Pedro A. 1,469 81 67.4
Alexander, Scott G. 1,393 80.9 77.7
McCormack, Nancy R. 1,163 78.2 73.5
Kleinfeld, Seymour R. 484 77.9 -
Sukkar, Elisa M. 922 77.4 75.4
Horn, Michael C. 851 74.2 67.4
Mander, Stephen E. 1,246 67.9 65.3
Randall, Anthony J. 954 67.8 -
Slavin, Denise N. 873 41.2 -
Coleman, Sandra S. 645 24.5 -
Harris, Rodger C. 372 - 81.1
Crosland, David W. 325 - 74.7
Los Angeles Bither, Christine A. 703 86.9 79.8
Munoz, Lorraine J. 836 83.7 84
Romig, Jeffrey L. 482 82.8 -
Giattina, Anthony T. 592 79.2 77.8
Fong, Thomas Y. K. 327 76.5 58.8
Tabaddor, A. Ashley 374 76.2 71
Ipema, Henry P., Jr. 117 75.2 -
Latimore, Jan D. 484 72.9 72.4
Ho, Anna 399 69.7 66.1
Bronzina, Isabel A. 499 67.9 64.8
Walton, Richard D. 639 63.7 59
Bank, Ira E. 651 62.2 66.9
McDermott, Patrick T. 289 61.2 -
Dunkel-Bradley, Dorothy A. 713 60.3 66.8
Del Bene, Charles A. 103 56.3 -
Renner, Renee L. 415 55.4 59
Walsh, John F. 692 54.3 59.9
Anderson, David C. 673 53.4 46.7
Taylor, John D. 398 50.7 -
Hrycenko, Ingrid K. 181 50.3 -
Stancill, Christine E. 710 47.2 61.1
Proctor, George W. 229 44.8 -
Einhorn, Bruce J. 253 43.6 -
Gembacz, Gilbert T. 432 42.8 53.3
Sholomson, Stephen L. 522 40.1 54.8
Martin, William J., Jr 419 39.1 43.1
Vahid-Tehrani, Gita 603 33 36.6
Bass, Lori R. 120 - 71.3
Travieso, Frank M. 131 - 65.9
Daw, Alison E. 222 - 62.9
DiMarzio, Philip L. 78 - 61.5
Tsankov, Mimi 212 - 54.5
Peters, Rose C. 84 - 42.9
San Francisco Proctor, George W. 243 38.9 53.3
Murry, Anthony S. 459 91 85
Hollis, Wendell A. 154 80.9 -
Yeargin, Robert 690 79.3 62.5
Simpson, Brian H. 497 78.7 78.6
Smith, Gary W. 123 74.8 -
Yam, Mimi Schooley 91 71.4 -
Griswold, Stephen S. 263 62.8 -
Phillips, Beverley M. 520 62.1 52.4
Kandler, Edward R. 190 62.1 -
Stockton, Bette Kane 835 56.8 75
Geisse, Loreto S. 533 55.3 39.5
Tue, Phan-Quang 628 51.6 46.3
Teeter, Marilyn J. 636 50.9 58.7
Gonzalez, Alberto E. 406 50.2 -
Webber, Polly A. 757 46.8 49.8
Yamaguchi, Michael J. 352 46.1 73.4
DiCostanzo, Lawrence N. 613 45.3 48.8
Marks, Dana Leigh 736 40.8 44.9
King, Carol A. 700 38.6 43.1
Ramirez, Laura L. 720 38.4 42.1
Hayward, Miriam R. 736 33 51
Other courts (by city):
Arlington Churchill, Joan V. 257 75.9 -
Malphrus, Garry D. 450 66.3 52.5
Iskra, Wayne R. 564 56.7 44.7
Bryant, John Milo 543 52.7 24
Grant, M. Christopher 310 42.8 -
Schmidt, Paul W. 550 33.6 16.1
Snow, Thomas G. 236 - 43.7
O'Leary, Brian M. 186 - 26.9
Atlanta Sease, Grace A. 244 97.4 86.8
Rast, G. MacKenzie 132 87.9 -
Cassidy, William A. 301 85.6 95.7
Houser, Wayne K., Jr. 414 83.7 75.5
Johnston, Paul L. 105 76.2 -
Pelletier, Jonathan D. 229 - 90.8
Baltimore Barrett, Bruce M. 1,196 67.3 68.6
Gossart, John F., Jr. 1,082 57.7 55.5
Dornell, Lisa 1,262 53.6 50.8
DuFresne, Jill H. 1,083 52.5 56.5
Kessler, Elizabeth A. 486 41 53.6
Williams, Phillip T. 166 - 51.8
Bloomington Olmanson, Kristin W. 617 75.9 75.4
Dierkes, Joseph R. 752 69.4 70.7
Boston Shapiro, Leonard I. 867 70.1 62.1
D'Angelo, Matthew J. 318 64.4 64
Cramer, Francis L. 545 61.8 61.4
Klein, Eliza C. 828 58.8 51.4
Gagnon, Paul M. 561 56.2 52.9
Sheppard, Patricia M. B. 206 37.6 -
Feder, Robin E. 320 - 61.3
Buffalo Rocco, Michaelangelo 137 96.4 -
Reid, John B. 237 92.3 86.9
Montante, Philip J., Jr 253 75.9 88
Chicago Vinikoor, Robert D. 705 73.5 60.5
Brahos, O. John 249 59 -
Zerbe, Craig M. 653 51.9 32.3
Cuevas, Carlos 515 39.3 52.2
Giambastiani, Jennie L. 416 34.7 35.7
Fujimoto, James R. 185 34.4 -
Bower, Glen L. 253 11.8 18.1
Cleveland Romig, Jeffrey L. 107 - 72
Churchill, Joan V. 77 70.1 -
Malphrus, Garry D. 167 81.3 87.4
Iskra, Wayne R. 239 65.2 66.3
Bryant, John Milo 384 55.2 24.5
Grant, M. Christopher 106 72.3 -
Schmidt, Paul W. 170 32 -
Snow, Thomas G. 300 73.6 80.4
O'Leary, Brian M. 100 - 47.5
Evans, D. William, Jr. 298 - 75.5
Dallas Sims, Deitrich H. 249 88.8 -
Copeland, Cary H. 344 75.1 -
Hughes, Edwin R. 218 46.3 -
Ozmun, Richard R. 98 - 74.5
Denver Vandello, James P. 215 71.6 -
Livingston, Donn L. 675 60.1 58.5
Cordova, David J. 632 56 74.9
Detroit Nettles, Marsha K. 511 89.4 73.4
Hacker, Elizabeth A. 840 83.8 61.3
Newberry, Robert D. 775 82.3 52.6
El Paso Abbott, William L. 220 54.6 74.4
Elizabeth Abrams, Steven R. 199 58.3 -
Reichenberg, Margaret R. 260 77.3 -
Tadal, Mirlande 491 76 78.5
Harbeck, Dorothy A. 214 - 57.3
Eloy Davis, John W. 129 100 -
Keenan, Sean H. 159 100 -
Florence Jefferies, Scott M. 191 85.6 -
Taylor, Bruce A. 98 - 87.2
Guaynabo Lopez-Defillo, Irma 231 86.8 86.3
Hagatna Beamer, Dayna M. 227 31.9 -
Harlingen Burkhart, Margaret D. 148 - 3.4
Hartford D'Angelo, Matthew J. 120 65.8 -
Straus, Michael W. 921 69.8 72.3
Honolulu Beamer, Dayna M. 524 25.9 15.7
Houston Yam, Mimi Schooley 160 - 81.6
Yates, Clarease Rankin 350 87.7 80.6
Brisack, Chris A. 304 81.5 91.9
Peterson, William C. 163 79.8 -
Benton, Jimmie L. 270 77.9 85.3
Law, Philip S. 591 77.3 83.4
Zimmer, William K. 401 72.4 75.3
Rose, Howard 84 - 100
Imperial Staton, Jack W. 194 86.8 74.8
James, Dennis R. 132 - 64.9
Kansas City Vinikoor, Robert D. 192 90.4 76.1
Lancaster Nickerson, William J., Jr. 204 81.6 -
Vicars, Robert O., Jr. 136 81.1 -
Las Vegas Gastley, Harry L. 292 76.6 69.4
Mullins, Ronald L. 190 72 -
Weiss, Irene 313 46 39.3
Memphis Pazar, Charles E. 1,215 62.8 55.5
Burman, Lawrence O. 987 62.1 35.6
Miami - Krome Ford, Rex J. 398 - 94.3
Slavin, Denise N. 168 - 77.5
Foster, Neale S. 121 96.7 -
Hurewitz, Kenneth S. 717 87.5 96.4
New Orleans Houser, Wayne K., Jr. 84 78.6 -
Stogner, William Wayne 288 55.7 75.9
New York - Varick SPC Vomacka, Alan A. 404 96 94.4
Page, Alan L. 294 81.9 77.2
Newark Reichenberg, Margaret R. 244 - 69.9
Pugliese, Eugene 652 82.9 66.5
Meisner, Daniel A. 344 82.5 -
Cabrera, Esmeralda 92 76.1 -
Dogin, Henry S. 965 71.2 68.1
Garcy, Annie S. 791 59.9 51.5
Riefkohl, Alberto J. 804 38 51.1
Strasser, William K. 208 36.5 -
Roy, Susan Girardo 97 - 74.2
Leeds, Frederic G. 315 - 69.6
Oakdale Duck, John A., Jr. 178 76.9 -
Omaha Cuevas, Carlos 113 83.3 -
Fujimoto, James R. 553 78.5 75.6
Orlando Wilson, Earle B. 688 - 80.5
McHugh, R. Kevin 152 84.3 -
Padgett, Gail B. 343 78.7 28
Ortiz-Segura, Rafael B. 2,093 49.8 52.8
Smith, Renetta 498 44.1 -
Ghartey, Victoria L. 1,759 41.2 42.4
Lippman, Daniel 235 - 81.3
Chapman, Kevin J. 289 - 70
Josephson, Kenneth 131 - 68.5
Owens, Robert P. 76 - 51.3
Philadelphia Ferlise, Donald V. 473 88.3 -
Malloy, Rosalind K. 1,022 81.7 62.6
Mills, Miriam K. 665 79.8 50.5
Honeyman, Charles M. 848 69 36.3
Phoenix Hollis, Wendell A. 203 49.4 73.3
Freerks, LaMonte S. 465 26.8 27.9
Richardson, John W. 244 17 25.3
Portland Bennett, Michael H. 603 63.9 74.1
Salt Lake City Nixon, William L. 206 51.3 53.2
San Antonio McPhaul, Glenn P. 224 57.4 52.6
Zuniga, Bertha A. 212 42.5 34.8
Burkholder, Gary D. 195 - 81.9
Conley de Castro, Susan E. 210 - 66.4
Carte, John D. 157 - 43.1
San Diego Ipema, Henry P., Jr. 181 68.7 53.1
Renner, Renee L. 124 - 25.8
Bagley, Kenneth A. 292 75.4 33.9
DePaolo, Zsa Zsa 391 71.6 27.9
Atenaide, Anthony M. 375 65.2 36.3
Bartolomei, Richard J., Jr 319 64.4 47
Fernandez, Ignacio P. 271 63.3 15.9
Barrett, Robert J. 219 39.3 -
Williams, John C. 231 30.2 21.9
San Pedro Peters, Rose C. 146 45.5 -
Sitgraves, D. D. 212 76.6 59.5
Seattle Kandler, Edward R. 789 65.9 66.6
Josephson, Kenneth 1,354 61.3 59.5
Tacoma Josephson, Kenneth 101 78.1 -
Young, Victoria E. 92 89 -
Tucson Knuck, Richard H. 122 8.2 -
York Sease, Grace A. 213 88.3 -
Durling, Walter A. 324 78.6 65.9
Arthur, Andrew R. 120 - 90

Source: TRAC analysis based upon internal administrative files of the Executive Office for Immigration Review obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Only judges who made at least 75 decisions on the merits in either period are included in this list. Number of decisions shown are the total across both periods. If denial rate is blank it indicates that fewer than 75 decisions were made during the period in question. This may be because that judge did not serve in that city during the period, had left the bench, or the asylum caseload the judge received and decided amounted to fewer than 75 decisions. For any judge with at least 100 decisions, there is an accompanying individual judge report at http://trac.syr.edu/immigration/reports/judgereports/ which provides greater detail for each judge, and shows asylum decisions year-by-year.

Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, Syracuse University
Copyright 2009