A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge O'Malley, Brenda (IJ code OMB, Boston, MA):
Overall track record
39 years on the bench (since 1988), 13,353 cases total, lifetime grant rate 38.3%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 5,307 cases, grant rate 32.1% — 3.9pp above the Boston court average (28.2%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Brazil 1710 12.6% Guatemala 940 40.6% El Salvador 699 53.1% Honduras 388 30.7% Dominican Republic 231 16.3% Haiti 226 4.4% Colombia 219 7.3% Ecuador 190 33.0% Mexico 91 33.9% Venezuela 42 26.3% Cape Verde 31 30.8%
El Salvador applicants see a 53.1% grant rate versus 4.4% for Haiti applicants — a 12.0× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 1428 cases, 46.9% grant rate 2024: 1329 cases, 56.8% grant rate 2025: 1387 cases, 27.2% grant rate 2026: 1163 cases, 12.9% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge O'Malley, 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.