A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Yeomans, Sarah Beth. (IJ code SBY, Sterling, VA):
Overall track record
4 years on the bench (since 2023), 2,410 cases total, lifetime grant rate 14.6%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,406 cases, grant rate 14.7% — 3.6pp above the Sterling court average (11.1%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Honduras 542 14.1% El Salvador 434 18.1% Guatemala 428 10.4% Mexico 172 4.1% Peru 129 4.5% Venezuela 127 19.8% Nicaragua 124 15.8% Colombia 110 13.5% Brazil 52 2.4% Bolivia 38 8.3% Afghanistan 31 44.8%
Afghanistan applicants see a 44.8% grant rate versus 2.4% for Brazil applicants — a 18.8× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 326 cases, 13.0% grant rate 2024: 753 cases, 14.8% grant rate 2025: 793 cases, 18.5% grant rate 2026: 534 cases, 9.4% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Yeomans, 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.