A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Kessler, Elizabeth A. (IJ code EAK, Hyattsville, MD):
Overall track record
21 years on the bench (since 2006), 11,745 cases total, lifetime grant rate 25.1%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,246 cases, grant rate 18.1% — 3.1pp below the Hyattsville court average (21.2%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate El Salvador 455 13.6% Honduras 357 10.5% Guatemala 339 6.0% Venezuela 154 26.7% Nicaragua 130 31.7% Peru 121 19.5% Mexico 105 3.3% Cameroon 95 64.7% Colombia 45 20.0% Ecuador 44 15.8% Haiti 38 3.1%
Cameroon applicants see a 64.7% grant rate versus 3.1% for Haiti applicants — a 20.7× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 430 cases, 26.9% grant rate 2024: 519 cases, 20.0% grant rate 2025: 697 cases, 17.9% grant rate 2026: 600 cases, 10.3% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Kessler, 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, July 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.