Judge Mary C. Baumgarten

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Baumgarten, Mary C. (IJ code KBJ, Buffalo, NY):

Overall track record

8 years on the bench (since 2019), 3,718 cases total, lifetime grant rate 3.3%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,595 cases, grant rate 3.3% — 6.1pp below the Buffalo court average (9.4%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Ecuador                458    0.0%
Venezuela              299    0.0%
Mexico                 241    0.5%
Colombia               216    0.0%
Cuba                   209   17.7%
Guatemala              180    0.0%
Nicaragua              100    2.1%
Peru                   100    0.0%
Brazil                  90    2.4%
Honduras                78    1.3%
Dominican Republic      66    0.0%

Year-by-year

2023:  256 cases, 6.1% grant rate
2024:  535 cases, 6.8% grant rate
2025:  855 cases, 2.7% grant rate
2026:  949 cases, 0.6% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Baumgarten, 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.