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 Barbara A Nelson was appointed as an Immigration Judge in September 1995. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1972 from the Inter-American University of Puerto Rico and a Juris Doctor in 1975 from the New England School of Law. From 1983 to 1995, she was in private practice in New York. She was also in private practice with Pollack & Kromer from 1979 to 1983, and with Antonio C. Martinez from 1977 to 1979, both in New York. She is a member of the Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York Bars.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,404
Completions per year
8,425 total
1.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
24.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
5.9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
5.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
56 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
40.8%
974 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.1%
942 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
45%
60 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
98%
253 decisions High confidence
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
34 decisions Too few cases
40.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 974 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
40.8%
This court
57.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 29% 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 · 820 decisions since 2021
47.1%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 154 decisions since 2021
7.1%
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).