A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Kolbe, Margaret (IJ code MGK, New York Varick 5th, NY):
Overall track record
30 years on the bench (since 1997), 4,854 cases total, lifetime grant rate 38.6%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,502 cases, grant rate 30.2% — 9.7pp above the New York Varick 5th court average (20.5%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate El Salvador 371 21.3% Ecuador 368 22.0% Honduras 325 12.0% Guatemala 213 14.0% Peru 166 15.6% Nicaragua 161 29.2% India 140 55.9% Colombia 138 17.3% Venezuela 88 39.5% China 77 79.4% Mexico 70 23.7%
China applicants see a 79.4% grant rate versus 12.0% for Honduras applicants — a 6.6× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 450 cases, 37.7% grant rate 2024: 626 cases, 30.4% grant rate 2025: 733 cases, 38.2% grant rate 2026: 693 cases, 16.8% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Kolbe, 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, July 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.