Immigration judge
Judge Walter H. Ruehle
Immigration Judge at Buffalo, NY
EOIR data through Oct 1, 2026 · updated monthly
- 800
- Granted
- 3,200
- Denied
- 4,000
- Total Decided
Recent decisions (Oct 2024 – Sep 2026): Judge Walter H. Ruehle granted asylum in 19.7% of 614 decided cases. That is lower than the judge's all-time rate of 20.0% (4,000 decided cases). Over the same months, Buffalo, NY Immigration Court granted 5.2% and the national rate was 5.0%.
Historical listings do not by themselves establish a current assignment.
How to Interpret These Judge Statistics
Among the largest nationality groups shown for this judge (fiscal years 2020–2026), the table highlights Guatemala (367 decided, 9.8% grant rate), Ecuador (258 decided, 7.4% grant rate), and Mexico (256 decided, 23.4% grant rate). Compare these rows with the judge's overall rate because nationality mix can materially change how the headline number should be read.
Grant rate is calculated as granted / (granted + denied). Other procedural outcomes, including terminated, withdrawn, administratively closed, or removed cases, are tracked separately where available and are not treated as asylum grants.
This page is based on public EOIR data last updated 2026-10-01. It is for research and information only, not legal advice.
Read the grant-rate methodology or learn how to read immigration judge statistics.
Nationality Breakdown
Fiscal years 2020–2026 (Oct 2019 – Sep 2026).
| Nationality | Cases | Grant rate |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemala | 367 | 9.8% |
| Ecuador | 258 | 7.4% |
| Mexico | 256 | 23.4% |
| Brazil | 202 | 2.5% |
| Venezuela | 195 | 19.0% |
| Colombia | 192 | 5.7% |
| Turkey | 164 | 7.9% |
| Nicaragua | 142 | 3.5% |
Yearly Trends
Federal fiscal years (October to September).
| Fiscal year | Cases | Grant rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8 | 100.0% |
| 2025 | 606 | 18.6% |
| 2024 | 613 | 19.4% |
| 2023 | 809 | 12.6% |
| 2022 | 431 | 26.7% |
| 2021 | 295 | 31.5% |
| 2020 | 378 | 24.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Judge Walter H. Ruehle's asylum grant rate?
Across all years in EOIR data, Judge Walter H. Ruehle granted asylum in 20.0% of 4,000 decided cases (grants plus denials). For Oct 2024 – Sep 2026, the rate was 19.7% of 614 decided cases.
Does Judge Walter H. Ruehle grant asylum more or less often than other judges?
The all-time rate (20.0%) is above the 16.4% national rate; the median judge at Buffalo, NY grants 15.8%. It is a historical average, not a prediction for any one case.
How is this grant rate calculated?
Grants divided by grants plus denials. Terminations, withdrawals and administrative closures are not counted.