Judge Elisa M. Sukkar

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Sukkar, Elisa M. (IJ code EMS, Miami, FL):

Overall track record

32 years on the bench (since 1995), 11,718 cases total, lifetime grant rate 38.9%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 1,566 cases, grant rate 59.5% — 53.6pp above the Miami court average (5.9%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Guatemala              446    9.8%
Mexico                 281   66.7%
Honduras               174   34.8%
Nicaragua              153   82.4%
Venezuela              119   96.3%
Colombia                99   87.5%
Dominican Republic      59  100.0%
Cuba                    56  100.0%
El Salvador             44   40.0%
Brazil                  21   50.0%
Ecuador                 16  100.0%

Cuba applicants see a 100.0% grant rate versus 9.8% for Guatemala applicants — a 10.2× gap on this judge's docket.

Year-by-year

2023:   14 cases, 71.4% grant rate
2024:   11 cases, 33.3% grant rate
2025:  606 cases, 40.8% grant rate
2026:  935 cases, 68.3% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Sukkar, I'd love to hear:

1. What's your nationality, and when was your most recent hearing?

2. How did your attorney prepare for this judge specifically?

Source: EOIR (U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review) public statistics, May 2026 release, compiled by AsylumTracker. A judge's historical pattern does not predict the outcome of any individual case; this is shared to help set realistic expectations. Real-experience accounts from the community are welcome.