A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Golovnin, Lena (IJ code LGN, New York City, NY):
Overall track record
33 years on the bench (since 1994), 4,056 cases total, lifetime grant rate 27.4%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,368 cases, grant rate 20.7% — roughly in line with the New York City court average (21.7%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Ecuador 575 5.1% Colombia 188 2.4% China 186 64.8% Venezuela 158 2.1% Guatemala 121 14.7% India 119 40.2% Honduras 100 27.8% Mexico 93 43.0% El Salvador 79 30.2% Bangladesh 73 36.1% Peru 63 4.0%
China applicants see a 64.8% grant rate versus 2.1% for Venezuela applicants — a 31.3× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 439 cases, 46.3% grant rate 2024: 413 cases, 36.7% grant rate 2025: 922 cases, 11.3% grant rate 2026: 594 cases, 6.3% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Golovnin, 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.