A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Sogabe, Kenneth (IJ code KSS, Seattle, WA):
Overall track record
11 years on the bench (since 2016), 3,983 cases total, lifetime grant rate 11.3%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 3,398 cases, grant rate 10.0% — 3.4pp below the Seattle court average (13.4%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 1229 6.1% Guatemala 406 3.9% Colombia 300 4.5% Honduras 271 8.4% Venezuela 196 2.8% Brazil 188 4.4% El Salvador 166 15.3% Peru 99 10.0% Cuba 60 14.3% Ecuador 53 2.2% Nicaragua 50 4.2%
El Salvador applicants see a 15.3% grant rate versus 2.2% for Ecuador applicants — a 6.9× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 547 cases, 22.5% grant rate 2024: 741 cases, 10.9% grant rate 2025: 1191 cases, 8.0% grant rate 2026: 919 cases, 3.9% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Sogabe, 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.