A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Desai, Jankhana (IJ code JD1, West Los Angeles, CA):
Overall track record
38 years on the bench (since 1989), 4,775 cases total, lifetime grant rate 17.2%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,637 cases, grant rate 8.2% — 4.9pp below the West Los Angeles court average (13.1%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 540 21.7% Guatemala 468 3.1% El Salvador 421 7.8% Colombia 260 0.0% Nicaragua 251 1.4% Honduras 196 0.7% China 81 25.9% Venezuela 74 0.0% Peru 65 0.0% Ecuador 37 0.0% Russia 26 6.2%
Year-by-year
2023: 698 cases, 17.1% grant rate 2024: 644 cases, 17.6% grant rate 2025: 535 cases, 4.9% grant rate 2026: 760 cases, 0.3% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Desai, 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.