Toughest & Most Lenient Immigration Courts
Courts ranked by denial rate. National average grant rate: 5.8%.
💡 Why this matters: Where your case is heard can dramatically affect your outcome. The toughest courts deny relief at rates far above average — a geographic lottery that determines the fate of millions.
🔴 Top 20 Toughest Courts (Highest Denial Rate)
| # | Court | State | Denial Rate | Grant Rate | Total Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houston | TX | 99.2% | 0.8% | 90,844 |
| 2 | Lumpkin | GA | 99.1% | 0.9% | 89,384 |
| 3 | Houston | TX | 98.9% | 1.1% | 93,047 |
| 4 | El Paso | TX | 98.8% | 1.2% | 125,297 |
| 5 | Atlanta | GA | 98.7% | 1.3% | 32,558 |
| 6 | Harlingen | TX | 98.6% | 1.4% | 168,440 |
| 7 | Florence | AZ | 98.6% | 1.4% | 88,451 |
| 8 | Los Fresnos | TX | 98.5% | 1.5% | 95,003 |
| 9 | Laredo | TX | 98.5% | 1.5% | 70,658 |
| 10 | Pearsall | TX | 98.4% | 1.6% | 88,005 |
| 11 | Oakdale | LA | 98.3% | 1.7% | 97,419 |
| 12 | Jena | LA | 98.3% | 1.7% | 61,609 |
| 13 | Los Fresnos | TX | 98.3% | 1.7% | 5,309 |
| 14 | Aurora | CO | 98.1% | 1.9% | 13,827 |
| 15 | Conroe | TX | 98% | 2% | 109,492 |
| 16 | Atlanta | GA | 97.9% | 2.1% | 247,620 |
| 17 | Otero | NM | 97.9% | 2.1% | 30,723 |
| 18 | El Paso | TX | 97.8% | 2.2% | 105,735 |
| 19 | Eloy | AZ | 97.8% | 2.2% | 3,144 |
| 20 | San Antonio | TX | 97.7% | 2.3% | 286,310 |
🟢 Top 20 Most Lenient Courts (Lowest Denial Rate)
| # | Court | State | Denial Rate | Grant Rate | Total Cases |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | NY | 79% | 21% | 634,768 |
| 2 | San Francisco | CA | 79.5% | 20.5% | 359,734 |
| 3 | Honolulu | HI | 80.6% | 19.4% | 13,617 |
| 4 | Sacramento | CA | 80.7% | 19.3% | 49,891 |
| 5 | Hagatna | GU | 83.3% | 16.7% | 3,690 |
| 6 | Baltimore | MD | 86.6% | 13.4% | 142,076 |
| 7 | Boston | MA | 87.3% | 12.7% | 225,176 |
| 8 | Los Angeles | CA | 87.7% | 12.3% | 467,204 |
| 9 | Annandale | VA | 89% | 11% | 149,946 |
| 10 | Hyattsville | MD | 89.4% | 10.6% | 64,682 |
| 11 | Miami | FL | 89.9% | 10.1% | 682,877 |
| 12 | Portland | OR | 90.2% | 9.8% | 39,547 |
| 13 | Seattle | WA | 90.3% | 9.7% | 124,196 |
| 14 | New York | NY | 90.8% | 9.2% | 109,453 |
| 15 | West Valley | UT | 90.8% | 9.2% | 71,776 |
| 16 | Hartford | CT | 91.3% | 8.7% | 80,237 |
| 17 | Denver | CO | 91.4% | 8.6% | 116,005 |
| 18 | Concord | CA | 91.6% | 8.4% | 55,657 |
| 19 | Philadelphia | PA | 91.7% | 8.3% | 157,799 |
| 20 | Chicago | IL | 91.9% | 8.1% | 363,725 |