U.S. Immigration Courts

The U.S. has 88 immigration courts processing 9.6 million cases. Grant rates range from 0.8% (Houston, TX) to 21% (New York). Where your case is heard can determine your fate. Click column headers to sort. Click any court for detailed data.

Total Courts

Active Courts

21%

Highest Grant Rate

0.8%

Lowest Grant Rate

#	Court	State	Total Cases ↓	Completed	Grant Rate	Removals
1	Miami	FL	682,877	723,090	10.1%	33,376
2	New York	NY	634,768	805,653	21%	28,668
3	Los Angeles	CA	467,204	770,907	12.3%	82,672
4	Chicago	IL	363,725	397,221	8.1%	10,261
5	San Francisco	CA	359,734	465,805	20.5%	20,973
6	Dallas	TX	350,413	334,474	3.5%	8,838
7	Orlando	FL	334,095	280,308	6.1%	1,773
8	San Antonio	TX	286,310	395,648	2.3%	15,107
9	Newark	NJ	279,222	283,722	7.6%	6,953
10	Atlanta	GA	247,620	236,617	2.1%	6,642
11	Boston	MA	225,176	264,254	12.7%	12,008
12	Memphis	TN	224,207	194,770	4.2%	1,253
13	Charlotte	NC	216,980	173,839	2.6%	19
14	San Diego	CA	215,509	325,068	4.2%	46,391
15	Houston	TX	203,914	312,347	5.2%	15,168
16	Harlingen	TX	168,440	375,074	1.4%	19,773
17	Philadelphia	PA	157,799	179,207	8.3%	4,836
18	Annandale	VA	149,946	253,242	11%	7,021
19	Baltimore	MD	142,076	196,727	13.4%	6,055
20	El Paso	TX	125,297	187,301	1.2%	31,425
21	Seattle	WA	124,196	133,018	9.7%	13,452
22	Imperial	CA	117,187	203,919	2.6%	51,396
23	Denver	CO	116,005	146,250	8.6%	2,440
24	Cleveland	OH	115,997	129,381	3.6%	61
25	Kansas City	MO	112,948	108,529	4.3%	1,603
26	Conroe	TX	109,492	236,520	2%	11,569
27	New York	NY	109,453	118,875	9.2%	3
28	Phoenix	AZ	107,592	166,595	7.1%	9,741
29	Fort Snelling	MN	106,185	129,749	5.7%	2,920
30	Detroit	MI	105,991	129,737	6.8%	6,088
31	El Paso	TX	105,735	196,122	2.2%	8,806
32	Oakdale	LA	97,419	148,789	1.7%	16,640
33	Los Fresnos	TX	95,003	201,699	1.5%	26,111
34	New York	NY	93,938	142,330	7.6%	5,988
35	Houston	TX	93,047	115,946	1.1%	12
36	Omaha	NE	92,097	95,607	2.9%	1,226
37	Houston	TX	90,844	113,861	0.8%	2,650
38	Lumpkin	GA	89,384	135,797	0.9%	26
39	Florence	AZ	88,451	163,085	1.4%	24,117
40	Pearsall	TX	88,005	201,682	1.6%	6
41	Las Vegas	NV	86,061	118,316	7.2%	2,346
42	New Orleans	LA	82,280	144,537	2.9%	1,500
43	Tacoma	WA	82,270	120,349	3.2%	6,597
44	Los Angeles	CA	81,542	112,846	3.6%	45
45	Hartford	CT	80,237	90,044	8.7%	3,126
46	Santa Ana	CA	77,616	108,308	4.6%	9
47	West Valley	UT	71,776	62,978	9.2%	25
48	Laredo	TX	70,658	103,893	1.5%	13,414
49	Miami	FL	69,721	189,029	2.9%	5,729
50	Hyattsville	MD	64,682	68,584	10.6%	100
51	Adelanto	CA	63,437	139,500	2.8%	198
52	Sterling	VA	62,208	70,536	5.4%	2
53	Jena	LA	61,609	100,310	1.7%	11
54	Van Nuys	CA	61,394	69,406	5.4%	9
55	Buffalo	NY	61,090	99,902	3%	4,781
56	Chelmsford	MA	59,389	22,376	5.8%	4
57	Concord	CA	55,657	25,932	8.4%	1
58	Sacramento	CA	49,891	41,296	19.3%	459
59	Indianapolis	IN	49,351	8,365	6.4%	1
60	Tucson	AZ	48,231	71,560	4.1%	2,771
61	Portland	OR	39,547	62,773	9.8%	5,401
62	Portland	OR	39,516	9,091	3%	0
63	Elizabeth	NJ	39,280	152,238	4.5%	660
64	Atlanta	GA	32,558	55,694	1.3%	1,429
65	Annandale	VA	31,112	29,553	6.7%	1
66	Otero	NM	30,723	60,668	2.1%	5
67	Napanoch	NY	27,484	43,832	3.3%	6,482
68	Guaynabo	PR	24,181	41,182	4.6%	3,694
69	Batavia	NY	18,345	35,704	2.5%	100
70	Otay Mesa	CA	18,056	40,092	2.5%	5
71	Aurora	CO	13,827	121,289	1.9%	13,785
72	Honolulu	HI	13,617	19,618	19.4%	853
73	Baton Rouge	LA	12,298	649	0.8%	0
74	Chelmsford	MA	8,136	11,904	5.7%	0
75	Los Fresnos	TX	5,309	12,465	1.7%	0
76	Hagatna	GU	3,690	5,285	16.7%	229
77	Eloy	AZ	3,144	222,759	2.2%	10,863
78	Saipan	MP	984	1,313	4.9%	0
79	Los Angeles	CA	169	25	—	0
80	New York	NY	142	199	0%	94
81	Lancaster	CA	101	24	—	0
82	Bradenton	FL	26	24	—	0
83			10	0	—	0
84	Houston	TX	3	0	—	0
85	El Centro	CA	1	1	—	1
86			1	0	—	0
87	Falls Church	VA	1	1	—	0
88	Oit Sd Test	VA	1	3	—	0

Why This Data Matters

The United States operates 88 immigration courts, and the data reveals an uncomfortable truth: where your case is heard can determine your fate. Grant rates vary enormously — from courts that approve relief in roughly one in five cases to courts where fewer than one in a hundred receive protection. These aren't different legal systems; they're the same laws applied by different judges in different cities, producing radically different results.

This geographic lottery has real consequences. Immigrants don't choose which court hears their case — it's determined by where they live or where they're detained. A family fleeing violence might face near-certain denial in one court and have a reasonable chance of protection in another, simply based on geography. This variation reflects differences in local legal culture, judicial philosophy, the availability of pro bono attorneys, and caseload pressures that force some courts to rush through proceedings.

For policymakers, this data raises serious questions about judicial independence and consistency in immigration law. Unlike federal courts, immigration judges are employees of the Department of Justice — part of the executive branch, not the judiciary. They face performance quotas, political pressure, and enormous caseloads. Understanding how each court operates is the first step toward a system that delivers more consistent, fair outcomes regardless of zip code.

📍 Geographic Lottery Analysis

How court location determines outcomes — the 21% vs 0.8% gap explained.

⚖️ Judge Roulette

Within each court, judge variation adds another layer of randomness.

Source: Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). Data current through February 2026. Learn more →