Source: EOIR — Find an Immigration Court.
Recording an internet-based hearing is prohibited (8 C.F.R. § 1003.28). Respondents without a representative default to in-person hearings.
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Ana Mencini was appointed as an immigration judge in October 2022 by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1990 from Lake Forest College, a Master of Arts in 1993 from DePaul University, and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from Chicago-Kent College of Law. She worked as a legal editor at Lexis-Nexis (2001-2004) and as an associate attorney at A. Traub & Cadiz PC (2002-2004), served as an assistant clinical professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law (2011-2014), and was a private practitioner (2004-2011 and 2014-2022). She is a member of the Illinois State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,428
Completions per year
8,571 total
1.7%
Detained at decision
share of cases
20.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
33.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.8%
Appeals remanded or reversed
36 appeals decided
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
33.3%⚠
Bond requests granted
3 bond decisions Too few cases
$2,000
Median bond when set
1 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 33.3%
Court average 56.1% · median $3,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
32.6%
714 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
4.3%
759 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
7.5%
93 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
87.5%⚠
8 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
91.7%
60 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
86.9%
267 decisions High confidence
32.6%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 714 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
32.6%
This court
45.7%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 40% of the 825 judges nationally with enough cases to compare.
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyerrepresented · 634 decisions since 2021
36.1%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 80 decisions since 2021
5%
Asylum grant rate over time
Each point is that calendar year's grant rate, back to 2015 where the judge was deciding cases — the longer career view. Dashed grey line = current national average (31.8%). Headline rates above use 2021 – today.
* 2026 is a partial year (data through 06/01/2026) and is incomplete.
Courts where this judge has decided cases
Hearing locations for cases this judge completed since 2021, by number of decisions.
Many judges hear cases from more than one court (detained facilities, video dockets, or reassignments).