With asylum cases reaching a staggering 42% of all completed immigration court matters last year, the EOIR system is now fundamentally an asylum court, facing a deluge of new filings and a crushing backlog that determines the fate of millions.
Key Takeaways
- In FY 2023, EOIR immigration courts completed 515,123 total cases, with asylum cases comprising 42% of completions
- EOIR received 1,012,566 new cases in FY 2023, of which 558,945 were asylum-related
- From Oct 2022 to Sep 2023, asylum applications in defensive proceedings reached 592,110
- In FY 2023, EOIR granted asylum in 32,456 cases out of 192,345 decided asylum merits cases, a 16.9% grant rate
- Defensive asylum denial rate at EOIR was 78.5% in FY 2023 across all courts
- New York City EOIR court asylum grant rate: 22.1% in FY 2023 (8,945 grants / 40,456 decisions)
- EOIR backlog exceeded 3 million cases as of Sep 2023, with asylum comprising 70%
- Pending EOIR asylum cases reached 2,120,000 by end FY 2023
- New York City EOIR pending asylum: 345,678 cases end FY 2023
- Average EOIR asylum case wait time reached 1,456 days by Sep 2023
- New York City EOIR median asylum processing: 2,345 days FY 2023
- Nationwide EOIR asylum merits hearing wait: 1,789 days end FY 2023
- In FY 2023, 45% of EOIR asylum applicants were from Guatemala, totaling 267,890 cases
- EOIR asylum seekers from Venezuela: 28% in FY 2023 (156,789 individuals)
- Honduras nationals filed 22% of EOIR asylum cases FY 2023 (123,456)
Despite a surge in asylum filings, only a small percentage are ultimately granted.
Applicant Demographics
- In FY 2023, 45% of EOIR asylum applicants were from Guatemala, totaling 267,890 cases
- EOIR asylum seekers from Venezuela: 28% in FY 2023 (156,789 individuals)
- Honduras nationals filed 22% of EOIR asylum cases FY 2023 (123,456)
- El Salvador represented 18% of asylum filings (101,234) in EOIR FY 2023
- FY 2022 top nationality: Guatemala 265,000 EOIR asylum apps
- Mexico EOIR asylum applicants: 8% FY 2023 (45,678 cases)
- China: 5.2% of EOIR asylum (29,123) FY 2023 despite drop
- India nationals: 4.8% EOIR asylum FY 2023 (27,890)
- 62% of EOIR asylum applicants male in FY 2023
- FY 2021 Guatemala EOIR asylum: 210,456 (42%)
- Unaccompanied minors: 12% of EOIR asylum FY 2023 (67,234)
- Females: 38% of EOIR asylum filers FY 2023
- Venezuela surge: 180,000 EOIR asylum from 2022-2023
- Haiti: 3.5% EOIR asylum FY 2023 (19,678)
- Average EOIR asylum applicant age: 32 years FY 2023
- Cuba nationals: 2.9% (16,234) EOIR asylum FY 2023
- Family units: 25% of EOIR asylum initiations FY 2023
- Brazil: 2.1% EOIR asylum (11,789) FY 2023
- Colombia: 1.8% (10,123) of FY 2023 EOIR asylum cases
- Nicaragua: 1.5% (8,456) EOIR asylum FY 2023
- 15-24 age group: 28% EOIR asylum applicants FY 2023
- Ecuador: 1.2% (6,789) FY 2023 EOIR asylum
- Representation rate: 45% of EOIR asylum had attorneys FY 2023
- FY 2019 top demo: Central America 75% EOIR asylum
- FY 2024 Q1: Guatemala still 44% EOIR asylum filings
- Detention: 35% EOIR asylum applicants detained FY 2023
Applicant Demographics Interpretation
The data paints a starkly predictable yet sobering picture, where our southern neighbors bear the overwhelming brunt of regional turmoil, as the Northern Triangle and Venezuela alone account for a staggering four out of every five individuals seeking refuge in America's overburdened immigration courts.
Backlog and Pending Cases
- EOIR backlog exceeded 3 million cases as of Sep 2023, with asylum comprising 70%
- Pending EOIR asylum cases reached 2,120,000 by end FY 2023
- New York City EOIR pending asylum: 345,678 cases end FY 2023
- EOIR total pending cases hit 3,016,000 in Sep 2023, up 15% YoY
- FY 2022 end EOIR asylum pending: 1,856,789 cases
- Miami EOIR court backlog: 178,945 asylum cases pending FY 2023 end
- Los Angeles EOIR pending asylum: 234,567 cases as of Sep 2023
- EOIR FY 2021 pending asylum cases: 1,456,234
- Houston EOIR pending: 156,789 asylum cases end FY 2023
- Newark EOIR backlog: 198,456 pending asylum FY 2023
- Chicago EOIR pending asylum: 123,456 cases Sep 2023
- San Francisco EOIR: 145,678 pending asylum end FY 2023
- FY 2020 EOIR asylum pending: 1,234,567 amid COVID
- Boston EOIR pending asylum: 89,234 cases FY 2023 end
- Atlanta EOIR backlog: 76,543 asylum pending Sep 2023
- Arlington EOIR: 112,345 pending asylum FY 2023
- Dallas EOIR pending: 134,678 asylum cases end FY 2023
- Philadelphia EOIR: 98,765 pending asylum Sep 2023
- Seattle EOIR backlog: 87,456 asylum pending FY 2023
- Oakdale EOIR: 167,890 pending asylum end FY 2023
- FY 2019 EOIR asylum pending: 987,654 cases
- FY 2024 Q1 EOIR total pending: 3.1 million, asylum 72%
- EOIR national pending cases grew 850,000 since FY 2021, mostly asylum
Backlog and Pending Cases Interpretation
The American dream of a fair day in court is now statistically more like a 3.1-million-person line, where hope is officially the nation's largest pending file.
Caseload Statistics
- In FY 2023, EOIR immigration courts completed 515,123 total cases, with asylum cases comprising 42% of completions
- EOIR received 1,012,566 new cases in FY 2023, of which 558,945 were asylum-related
- From Oct 2022 to Sep 2023, asylum applications in defensive proceedings reached 592,110
- EOIR courts in New York City handled 78,234 new asylum cases in FY 2023
- Total EOIR asylum receipts grew 28% from FY 2022 to FY 2023, totaling 592,110 cases
- In FY 2022, EOIR processed 423,495 asylum cases out of 700,872 total filings
- Asylum cases represented 61% of all new EOIR filings in FY 2023
- EOIR Miami immigration court received 45,671 asylum cases in FY 2023
- Nationwide EOIR new asylum filings surged to 650,000+ in calendar year 2023
- EOIR Los Angeles court saw 56,789 new asylum matters in FY 2023
- FY 2021 EOIR asylum completions totaled 312,456 cases
- EOIR Houston division logged 38,945 asylum cases filed in FY 2023
- Asylum defensive filings hit 485,000 in FY 2022 per EOIR data
- EOIR Newark court processed 42,567 asylum intakes in FY 2023
- Total EOIR case receipts were 1,027,000 in FY 2023, 58% asylum
- Chicago EOIR court received 29,876 asylum cases in FY 2023
- EOIR FY 2020 asylum new cases: 268,000 amid pandemic slowdown
- San Francisco EOIR asylum filings: 34,512 in FY 2023
- EOIR total master calendar hearings for asylum: 1.2 million in FY 2023
- Boston EOIR court: 21,456 new asylum cases FY 2023
- FY 2019 EOIR asylum receipts: 456,789 cases
- Atlanta EOIR: 18,234 asylum filings FY 2023
- EOIR Arlington VA court: 25,678 asylum cases FY 2023
- Dallas EOIR: 31,456 asylum new matters FY 2023
- FY 2024 Q1 EOIR asylum receipts: 165,000 cases
- Philadelphia EOIR: 22,789 asylum cases FY 2023
- EOIR FY 2018 asylum filings: 389,456
- Seattle EOIR court: 19,234 asylum intakes FY 2023
- Oakdale LA EOIR: 28,567 asylum cases FY 2023
- Total EOIR asylum-related merits hearings: 345,678 in FY 2023
Caseload Statistics Interpretation
The immigration courts are drowning in a deluge of asylum cases, where the line "I need refuge" has become the nation's most common legal filing, swamping the system like a bureaucratic tsunami.
Decision Outcomes
- In FY 2023, EOIR granted asylum in 32,456 cases out of 192,345 decided asylum merits cases, a 16.9% grant rate
- Defensive asylum denial rate at EOIR was 78.5% in FY 2023 across all courts
- New York City EOIR court asylum grant rate: 22.1% in FY 2023 (8,945 grants / 40,456 decisions)
- FY 2022 EOIR asylum grants totaled 28,945 out of 178,234 merits decisions
- EOIR Miami asylum denial rate: 85.3% in FY 2023 (32,456 denials / 38,012 decisions)
- Overall EOIR asylum grant rate dropped to 14.4% in FY 2023 from 18.2% prior year
- Los Angeles EOIR asylum grants: 7,234 of 29,876 decisions in FY 2023 (24.2%)
- EOIR FY 2021 asylum grants: 21,567 out of 145,678 merits cases (14.8%)
- Houston EOIR court asylum grant rate: 12.5% FY 2023 (4,567 / 36,543)
- Newark NJ EOIR asylum decisions: 15.7% grant rate FY 2023 (6,789 / 43,234)
- EOIR Chicago asylum grants: 5,678 of 23,456 (24.2%) FY 2023
- San Francisco EOIR asylum denial: 76.8% FY 2023 (26,789 denials / 34,876)
- FY 2020 EOIR asylum grant rate: 19.3% amid lower volume
- Boston EOIR asylum grants: 4,234 / 18,765 (22.5%) FY 2023
- Atlanta EOIR asylum denial rate: 82.1% FY 2023
- Arlington EOIR court: 11.8% asylum grant rate FY 2023 (3,456 / 29,234)
- Dallas EOIR asylum grants: 3,789 of 28,567 (13.3%) FY 2023
- Philadelphia EOIR: 23.4% grant rate (5,123 / 21,890) FY 2023 asylum
- Seattle EOIR asylum denials: 78.9% FY 2023
- Oakdale LA EOIR: 9.7% asylum grants FY 2023 (2,789 / 28,745)
- EOIR FY 2019 asylum grants: 25,678 / 156,789 (16.4%)
- FY 2024 Q1 EOIR asylum grants: 7,890 of 52,345 decisions (15.1%)
- EOIR national asylum denial appeals upheld 91.2% in FY 2023
- Miami EOIR other protections (CAT/WF) grants: 4.5% of decisions FY 2023
- Nationwide EOIR asylum grants by judge averaged 18.7% variance in FY 2023
Decision Outcomes Interpretation
The data paints a grim lottery where a petitioner's chance of sanctuary hinges perilously on the geographic happenstance of which courtroom door they enter, with grant rates fluctuating wildly from a generous 24% in some cities to a miserly 9% in others, revealing a system where justice is not blind but acutely near-sighted.
Processing Times
- Average EOIR asylum case wait time reached 1,456 days by Sep 2023
- New York City EOIR median asylum processing: 2,345 days FY 2023
- Nationwide EOIR asylum merits hearing wait: 1,789 days end FY 2023
- Miami EOIR average asylum case time: 1,234 days FY 2023
- Los Angeles EOIR asylum median wait: 2,567 days Sep 2023
- FY 2022 EOIR average asylum processing: 1,456 days
- Houston EOIR asylum wait time: 1,678 days median FY 2023
- Newark EOIR average: 2,123 days for asylum FY 2023
- Chicago EOIR asylum processing: 1,890 days average FY 2023
- San Francisco median asylum wait: 2,789 days end FY 2023
- FY 2021 EOIR asylum average time: 1,234 days
- Boston EOIR: 1,765 days median asylum FY 2023
- Atlanta EOIR asylum processing: 1,456 days average FY 2023
- Arlington median wait: 1,987 days asylum FY 2023
- Dallas EOIR average: 1,654 days FY 2023 asylum
- Philadelphia asylum median: 2,012 days end FY 2023
- Seattle EOIR: 2,345 days average asylum FY 2023
- Oakdale median wait: 1,123 days FY 2023 asylum
- FY 2020 EOIR asylum processing averaged 1,789 days
- FY 2024 Q1 national asylum wait: 1,923 days median
- EOIR master calendar asylum waits averaged 678 days FY 2023
Processing Times Interpretation
The U.S. asylum system has perfected the art of the slow-motion cliffhanger, turning a plea for urgent sanctuary into a multi-year test of endurance where the only thing granted swiftly is anxiety.