A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Furlong, John M., JR. (IJ code JMF, Boston, MA):
Overall track record
28 years on the bench (since 1999), 5,602 cases total, lifetime grant rate 15.4%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 4,293 cases, grant rate 18.7% — 9.5pp below the Boston court average (28.2%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Brazil 2459 6.4% Guatemala 465 34.6% El Salvador 246 38.3% Honduras 187 27.6% Ecuador 159 16.2% Colombia 125 7.9% Haiti 122 8.3% Dominican Republic 113 1.2% Nicaragua 36 29.6% Mexico 28 40.0% Venezuela 27 21.1%
Mexico applicants see a 40.0% grant rate versus 1.2% for Dominican Republic applicants — a 33.6× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 1570 cases, 24.7% grant rate 2024: 1234 cases, 28.7% grant rate 2025: 883 cases, 18.3% grant rate 2026: 606 cases, 8.7% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Furlong, 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.