A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Saltzman, Eva S. (IJ code ESS, Chicago, IL):
Overall track record
27 years on the bench (since 2000), 4,762 cases total, lifetime grant rate 29.8%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,099 cases, grant rate 28.3% — 17.7pp above the Chicago court average (10.6%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 509 29.9% Nicaragua 311 7.3% Honduras 239 11.7% Guatemala 197 7.9% Venezuela 144 30.5% Nigeria 99 80.3% El Salvador 62 24.3% Cuba 60 22.2% India 46 57.1% Ecuador 38 3.6% China 36 51.7%
Nigeria applicants see a 80.3% grant rate versus 3.6% for Ecuador applicants — a 22.5× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 671 cases, 32.9% grant rate 2024: 430 cases, 35.4% grant rate 2025: 518 cases, 27.8% grant rate 2026: 480 cases, 10.8% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Saltzman, 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.