Judge Ian R. Simons

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Simons, Ian R. (IJ code IRS, Detroit, MI):

Overall track record

28 years on the bench (since 1999), 6,198 cases total, lifetime grant rate 15.0%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 3,762 cases, grant rate 12.2% — 3.5pp above the Detroit court average (8.7%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Mexico                 875    4.3%
Venezuela              621    7.1%
Cuba                   430   46.3%
Honduras               358    2.9%
Guatemala              270    4.2%
Colombia               223    5.2%
Nicaragua              195   16.0%
El Salvador             64    6.5%
Ecuador                 58    0.0%
Iraq                    53   76.5%
Mauritania              50    2.2%

Year-by-year

2023:  646 cases, 26.7% grant rate
2024:  597 cases, 27.6% grant rate
2025: 1401 cases, 7.4% grant rate
2026: 1118 cases, 1.4% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Simons, 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.