A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Kirchner, Steven M. (IJ code SMK, San Francisco, CA):
Overall track record
9 years on the bench (since 2018), 3,986 cases total, lifetime grant rate 27.4%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 3,590 cases, grant rate 24.5% — 14.1pp below the San Francisco court average (38.6%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Colombia 924 19.1% Mexico 783 14.4% Guatemala 499 29.8% Peru 318 35.9% El Salvador 234 34.8% Honduras 195 25.0% Nicaragua 133 4.7% India 123 66.7% Brazil 67 31.7% Venezuela 37 18.2% Turkiye 33 47.8%
India applicants see a 66.7% grant rate versus 4.7% for Nicaragua applicants — a 14.1× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 520 cases, 58.2% grant rate 2024: 562 cases, 43.0% grant rate 2025: 884 cases, 21.8% grant rate 2026: 1624 cases, 4.4% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Kirchner, 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.