The Honorable Immigration Judge Darin Flagg

Santa Ana, CA Immigration Court
Appointed March 2026 · President Donald Trump Attorney General Pamela Bondi
Less than a year on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Republican administration

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Background

The Honorable Immigration Judge Darin Flagg earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 from the University of Missouri-Columbia and a Juris Doctor in 2000 from Tulane University School of Law. Before his appointment, he served as a senior associate and later associate partner and chair of the Law & Motion department at Murchison & Cumming LLP in Los Angeles (2015-2026), and earlier was an associate and later partner at Water, McCluskey & Boehle in Los Angeles (2001-2015).

Caseload & process (since 2021)
44
Completions per year
131 total
31.3%
Detained at decision
share of cases
23.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
12.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
28.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 0 appeals — too few

Bond decisions

Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021. "Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
6.7%
Bond requests granted
15 bond decisions Too few cases
$20,000
Median bond when set
2 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 6.7%
National 41.9% · median $6,500

Grant rates by type of relief

Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
10.9% 46 decisions Too few cases
Withholding / CAT
1.4% 71 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
0% 2 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0% 1 decision Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100% 17 decisions Too few cases
10.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits
Based on 46 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021. Fewer than 50 — treat this figure with caution.
This judge
10.9%
This court
19.1%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted

Does a lawyer matter here?

Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyerrepresented · 43 decisions since 2021
11.6%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 3 decisions since 2021
0%

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.
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%2022: 0% of 1 decisions0%20222026 (partial year): 11.1% of 45 decisions11.1%2026*
* 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).
Santa Ana, CA · home court
74 (56%)
55 (42%)
1 (0.76%)
1 (0.76%)