Judge Kristofer R. McDonald

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge McDonald, Kristofer R. (IJ code KRM, West Los Angeles, CA):

Overall track record

31 years on the bench (since 1996), 2,116 cases total, lifetime grant rate 7.2%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,020 cases, grant rate 7.3% — 5.8pp below the West Los Angeles court average (13.1%)

Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Guatemala              374    1.5%
Mexico                 358    1.3%
Colombia               219    0.0%
El Salvador            199    0.6%
Nicaragua              183   10.1%
Honduras               174    1.3%
Peru                    84    1.3%
Venezuela               74    8.5%
Russia                  57   57.4%
China                   56   48.0%
Ecuador                 48    0.0%

Year-by-year

2023:    3 cases, 0.0% grant rate
2024:    8 cases, 0.0% grant rate
2025:  990 cases, 11.7% grant rate
2026: 1019 cases, 3.1% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge McDonald, 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.