Judge Donald W. Thompson, JR.

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Thompson, Donald W., JR. (IJ code DWT, New York City, NY):

Overall track record

31 years on the bench (since 1996), 5,694 cases total, lifetime grant rate 41.0%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,673 cases, grant rate 26.9% — 5.2pp above the New York City court average (21.7%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Ecuador                448    5.2%
China                  411   62.1%
India                  235   52.8%
Colombia               189    2.3%
Venezuela              140    0.8%
Guatemala              101   20.2%
Bangladesh              93   45.2%
Honduras                81   24.6%
Dominican Republic      80    8.2%
Peru                    80    9.3%
El Salvador             79   35.8%

China applicants see a 62.1% grant rate versus 0.8% for Venezuela applicants — a 80.1× gap on this judge's docket.

Year-by-year

2023:  517 cases, 63.6% grant rate
2024:  535 cases, 44.1% grant rate
2025:  814 cases, 15.5% grant rate
2026:  807 cases, 3.9% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Thompson, 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.