A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge DeCure, John (IJ code JDE, New York Varick 5th, NY):
Overall track record
4 years on the bench (since 2023), 2,656 cases total, lifetime grant rate 11.9%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,649 cases, grant rate 11.9% — 9.6pp below the New York Varick 5th court average (21.5%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Ecuador 753 5.7% Honduras 290 5.3% Colombia 229 9.9% El Salvador 219 6.1% Peru 194 5.9% Guatemala 193 1.2% Nicaragua 105 13.5% Venezuela 83 13.6% India 64 6.7% Turkey 61 26.2% Russia 60 91.7%
Russia applicants see a 91.7% grant rate versus 1.2% for Guatemala applicants — a 75.2× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 597 cases, 14.6% grant rate 2024: 523 cases, 28.0% grant rate 2025: 741 cases, 8.2% grant rate 2026: 788 cases, 1.5% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge DeCure, 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.