Judge Samuel Der-Yeghiayan

FY 2002 - 2007, Chicago Immigration Court

Judge Der-Yeghiayan was appointed Immigration Judge in December 2000. He received his B.A. from Evangel College in 1975 and his J.D. from Franklin Pierce Law Center in 1978. Judge Der-Yeghiayan was selected in 1978 as a trial attorney for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in Chicago under the Attorney General's Honor Program. In 1981, he was promoted to the position of district counsel for the Chicago District of the INS where he served until his appointment as an Immigration Judge in December 2000. He received the INS "District Counsel of the Year" award in 1998 and the Frank J. McGarr award for "Outstanding Government Attorney of the Year" in 1986 from the Chicago Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. He is a member of the Illinois Bar and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Deciding Asylum Cases

NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2002
grantrate (Sum): 71.2 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2003
grantrate (Sum): 65.1 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2004
grantrate (Sum): 0 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2005
grantrate (Sum): 0 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2006
grantrate (Sum): 0 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2007
grantrate (Sum): 0
VBAR chart of fy

Figure 1: Percent of Asylum Matters Denied

Detailed data on Judge Der-Yeghiayan decisions were examined for the period covering fiscal years 2002 through 2007. During this period, Judge Der-Yeghiayan is recorded as deciding 202 asylum claims on their merits. Of these, he granted 62, gave no conditional grants, and denied 140. Converted to percentage terms, Der-Yeghiayan denied 69.3 percent and granted (including conditional grants) 30.7 percent. Figure 1 provides a comparison of Judge Der-Yeghiayan's denial rate fiscal year-by-year over this recent period. (Rates for years with less than 25 decisions are not shown.)

Nationwide Comparisons

Compared to Judge Der-Yeghiayan's denial rate of 69.3 percent, nationally during this same period, immigration court judges denied 59.8 percent of asylum claims. In the Chicago Immigration Court where Judge Der-Yeghiayan was based, judges there denied asylum 61.4 percent of the time. See Figure 2.

NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: Judge
percent (Sum): 69.3 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: Chicago
percent (Sum): 61.4 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: U.S.
percent (Sum): 59.8
VBAR chart of _NAME_

Figure 2: Comparing Denial Rates (percents)

Judge Der-Yeghiayan can also be ranked compared to each of the 267 individual immigration judges serving during this period who rendered at least one hundred decisions in a city's immigration court. If judges were ranked from 1 to 267 - where 1 represented the highest denial percent and 267 represented the lowest - Judge Der-Yeghiayan here receives a rank of 120. That is 119 judges denied asylum at higher rates, and 147 denied asylum at the same rate or less often. Ranks are tallied separately for each immigration court. Should a judge serve on more than one court during this period, separate ranks would be assigned in any court that the judge rendered at least 100 asylum decisions in.

Why Do Denial Rates Vary Among Judges?

Denial rates reflect in part the differing composition of cases assigned to different immigration judges. For example, being represented in court and the nationality of the asylum seeker appear to often impact decision outcome. Decisions also appear to reflect in part the personal perspective that the judge brings to the bench.

NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
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percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.07 (7%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.93 (93%)
PIE3D chart of represented

Figure 3: Asylum Seeker Had Representation
Representation

If an asylum seeker is not represented by an attorney, almost all (86%) of them are denied asylum. In contrast, a significantly higher proportion of represented asylum seekers are successful. In the case of Judge Der-Yeghiayan, 6.9% were not represented by an attorney. See Figure 3. For the nation as a whole, about 7.7% of asylum seekers are not represented.

Nationality

Asylum seekers are a diverse group. Over one hundred different nationalities had at least one hundred individuals claiming asylum decided during this period. As might be expected, immigration courts located in different parts of the country tend to have proportionately larger shares from some countries than from others. And, given the required legal grounds for a successful asylum claim, asylum seekers from some nations tend to be more successful than others.

nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (3.96%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Bulgaria
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.46%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Poland
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (6.44%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 14% (13.86%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 57% (57.43%)
PIE3D chart of nationality

Figure 4: Asylum Decisions by Nationality

For Judge Der-Yeghiayan, the largest group of asylum seekers appearing before him came from China. Individuals from this nation made up 13.9 % of his caseload. Other nationalities in descending order of frequency appearing before Judge Der-Yeghiayan were: Guatemala (13.9 %), Poland (6.4%), Bulgaria (4.5%), Albania (4%). See Figure 4.

In the nation as a whole during this same period, major nationalities of asylum seekers, in descending order of frequency, were China (21.3%), Colombia (10.5%), Haiti (9.8%), Indonesia (4.0%), Albania (3.7%), Guatemala (3.3%), India (3.3%), El Salvador (2.7%), Armenia (2.0%), Ethiopia (1.6%), Mexico (1.6%), Russia (1.5%), and Venezuela (1.5%).

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