A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Naseem, Samia (IJ code SNA, Chicago, IL):
Overall track record
8 years on the bench (since 2019), 3,410 cases total, lifetime grant rate 19.3%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,792 cases, grant rate 19.1% — 6.7pp above the Chicago court average (12.4%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 493 9.9% Nicaragua 440 10.3% Venezuela 431 29.2% Honduras 342 14.3% Guatemala 290 4.7% Colombia 165 5.1% Ecuador 119 5.7% El Salvador 78 41.0% Russia 56 83.3% Cuba 41 20.0% Nigeria 29 89.3%
Nigeria applicants see a 89.3% grant rate versus 4.7% for Guatemala applicants — a 18.8× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 343 cases, 29.2% grant rate 2024: 487 cases, 44.8% grant rate 2025: 870 cases, 14.3% grant rate 2026: 1092 cases, 7.5% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Naseem, 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.