A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Gordon, Cynthia (IJ code CYG, New York City, NY):
Overall track record
32 years on the bench (since 1995), 3,308 cases total, lifetime grant rate 36.5%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 1,529 cases, grant rate 30.5% — 8.8pp above the New York City court average (21.7%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Ecuador 259 5.3% China 176 62.3% Colombia 99 3.1% Guatemala 99 16.5% India 91 63.1% Venezuela 90 2.3% El Salvador 82 42.3% Bangladesh 68 87.5% Honduras 66 22.2% Dominican Republic 46 12.5% Mexico 44 23.8%
Bangladesh applicants see a 87.5% grant rate versus 2.3% for Venezuela applicants — a 37.6× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 316 cases, 46.5% grant rate 2024: 259 cases, 54.0% grant rate 2025: 617 cases, 22.9% grant rate 2026: 337 cases, 11.8% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Gordon, 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.