The Honorable Immigration Judge Clarence M. Wagner Jr.
Honolulu, HI Immigration Court
Appointed October 2010 · President Barack Obama→ Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.
15 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Clarence M. Wagner Jr. was appointed as an immigration judge in October 2010 by Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. He earned a Bachelor of Science in 1993 from Hampton University, a Juris Doctor in 1997 from Southern University Law Center, and a Master of Laws in 1999 from Georgetown University Law Center. He served as a U.S. Army officer in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate in Honolulu (1998-2001) and as an assistant attorney general for Louisiana (2002-2003). From 2003 to 2010, he served with the Department of Homeland Security as an assistant chief counsel in San Antonio, deputy chief counsel in New Orleans, and chief counsel in Honolulu. He is a member of the Louisiana State Bar and the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
356
Completions per year
2,137 total
28.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
9.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
17.1%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
23.5%
Appeals remanded or reversed
51 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.
24.2%
Bond requests granted
269 bond decisions High confidence
$7,500
Median bond when set
63 bonds with amounts
12.3%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 24.2%
Court average 31.5% · median $7,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
65.6%
334 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
19.5%
348 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
33.3%⚠
30 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
41.2%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
84.2%⚠
19 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
60%
280 decisions High confidence
65.6%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 334 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
65.6%
This court
53.5%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 8% 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 · 300 decisions since 2021
72.3%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 34 decisions since 2021
5.9%
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).