A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Michael G. Mcfarland (NYC, IJ code MMF):
Overall track record
39 years on the NYC immigration bench (since 1987), 4,121 cases total
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,586 cases, overall grant rate 23.7% — roughly in line with NYC court-wide average of 21.7%
Among the 41 NYC judges with ≥20 decided cases in 2025, he ranks #29 (lower middle of the pack)
The nationality gap is hard to ignore (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate China 306 68.6% Bangladesh 99 57.3% India 129 42.9% El Salvador 96 30.7% Honduras 102 18.1% Mexico 109 15.5% Guatemala 106 11.0% Colombia 134 3.8% Venezuela 171 3.6% Ecuador 571 2.6% Dominican Rep. 86 2.6%
China at 68.6% versus Ecuador at 2.6% is a 26× gap — and Ecuador happens to be the single largest nationality on his docket over the last 3 years.
He's getting noticeably stricter
2023: 37.2% 2024: 32.8% 2025: 19.6% 2026 YTD (5 months): 9.8%
In four years the overall grant rate dropped from nearly 4-in-10 to less than 1-in-10 — a steeper decline than NYC court-wide.
If you've appeared before Judge Mcfarland, I'd love to hear:
1. What's your nationality, and when was your most recent hearing?
2. Has your attorney adjusted strategy in light of the sharp 2025 tightening?
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.