Judge James R. Fujimoto

FY 2001 - 2006

Judge Fujimoto was appointed as an Immigration Judge in June 1990. He received an undergraduate degree in 1976 from the University of Chicago, and a Juris Doctorate from DePaul University in 1979. Judge Fujimoto was a partner in the law firm of Alexander, Fennerty & Fujimoto in Chicago from 1981 to 1990. From 1978 to 1981, he served as a law clerk and then associate attorney for Masuda, Funai, Eifert & Mitchell, also in Chicago. Judge Fujimoto is a member of the Illinois Bar.

Deciding Asylum Cases

NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2001
grantrate (Sum): 60.4 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2002
grantrate (Sum): 77.1 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2003
grantrate (Sum): 80.7 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2004
grantrate (Sum): 63.3 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2005
grantrate (Sum): 53.1 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: 2006
grantrate (Sum): 63.3
VBAR chart of fy

Figure 1: Percent of Asylum Matters Denied

Detailed data on Judge Fujimoto decisions are available for the period covering fiscal years 2001 through 2006. During this period, Judge Fujimoto is recorded as deciding 876 asylum claims on their merits. Of these, he granted 292, gave 1 conditional grants, and denied 583. Converted to percentage terms, Fujimoto denied 66.6 percent and granted (including conditional grants) 33.4 percent. Figure 1 provides a comparison of Judge Fujimoto's denial rate fiscal year-by-year over this recent period.

Nationwide Comparisons

Compared to Judge Fujimoto's denial rate of 66.6 percent, nationally during this same period, immigration court judges denied 60.8 percent of asylum claims. In the Chicago Immigration Court where Judge Fujimoto was usually based, judges there denied asylum 63.1 percent of the time. See Figure 2.

NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: Judge
percent (Sum): 66.6 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: Chicago
percent (Sum): 63.1 NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: U.S.
percent (Sum): 60.8
VBAR chart of _NAME_

Figure 2: Comparing Denial Rates (percents)

Judge Fujimoto can also be ranked compared to each of the 238 individual immigration judges serving during this period who rendered at least one hundred decisions. If judges were ranked from 1 to 238 - where 1 represented the highest denial percent and 238 represented the lowest - Judge Fujimoto receives a rank of 120. That is 119 judges denied asylum at higher rates, and 118 denied asylum at the same rate or less often.

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.

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percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
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percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
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percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
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percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: no
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percent: 0.08 (8%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
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percent: 0.92 (92%) NAME OF FORMER VARIABLE: yes
percent: 0.92 (92%)
PIE3D chart of represented

Figure 3: Asylum Seeker Had Representation
Representation

If an asylum seeker is not represented by an attorney, almost all (87%) of them are denied asylum. In contrast, a significantly higher proportion of represented asylum seekers are successful. In the case of Judge Fujimoto, 7.8% were not represented by an attorney. See Figure 3. For the nation as a whole, about 8.2% 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: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Yugoslavia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: Colombia
Percent of Total Frequency: 4% (4.34%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: China
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.59%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Albania
Percent of Total Frequency: 6% (5.94%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Guatemala
Percent of Total Frequency: 25% (24.66%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%) nationality: Other
Percent of Total Frequency: 55% (55.48%)
PIE3D chart of nationality

Figure 4: Asylum Decisions by Nationality

For Judge Fujimoto, the largest group of asylum seekers appearing before him came from Guatemala. Individuals from this nation made up 24.7 % of his caseload. Other nationalities in descending order of frequency appearing before Judge Fujimoto were: Albania (5.9 %), China (5.6%), Colombia (4.3%), Yugoslavia (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 (22.3%), Colombia (10.2%), Haiti (9.9%), Albania (3.9%), Indonesia (3.8%), India (3.5%), Guatemala (3.1%), El Salvador (2.1%), Armenia (2.1%), Mexico (1.7%), Russia (1.6%), Ethiopia (1.6%), Pakistan (1.5%), and Cameroon (1.4%).

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