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.