A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Phan, Susan (IJ code SPN, Sacramento, CA):
Overall track record
8 years on the bench (since 2019), 5,166 cases total, lifetime grant rate 32.3%
Last 3 years (2023–2026): 3,147 cases, grant rate 31.6% — 4.8pp below the Sacramento court average (36.4%)
Nationality breakdown (2023–2026 cumulative)
Nationality / Cases / Grant rate Mexico 924 8.7% Russia 557 68.3% India 359 34.8% Afghanistan 232 64.4% Guatemala 141 11.1% Nicaragua 128 26.8% Honduras 104 4.2% El Salvador 83 23.1% Colombia 81 5.6% Peru 69 3.5% Ukraine 49 53.7%
Russia applicants see a 68.3% grant rate versus 3.5% for Peru applicants — a 19.5× gap on this judge's docket.
Year-by-year
2023: 629 cases, 40.0% grant rate 2024: 814 cases, 43.6% grant rate 2025: 912 cases, 31.9% grant rate 2026: 792 cases, 9.0% grant rate
If you've appeared before Judge Phan, 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.