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 Deborah E Klahr earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 from Stern College, Yeshiva University, and a Juris Doctor in 1992 from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. From 2018 to 2019, she served as a supervisory immigration officer and then section chief with the New York City Field Office, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). From 2017 to 2018, she was a senior immigration services officer with the Newark Field Office, USCIS, DHS. From 2013 to 2017, she served as an asylum officer and then supervisory asylum officer with the Newark Asylum Office. Earlier she was immigration counsel with Lindabury, McCormick, Estabrook & Cooper P.C. from 2009 to 2013 and held immigration practice and staff attorney roles in New York and New Jersey. Judge Klahr is a member of the New Jersey State Bar and New York State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,370
Completions per year
8,223 total
1.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
19.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
14.3%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 19 appeals — too few
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
47%
1,218 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
6%
1,180 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
58.1%
62 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
4 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
47 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
84.3%
51 decisions Moderate
47%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,218 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
47%
This court
57.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 23% 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 · 1,008 decisions since 2021
56.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 210 decisions since 2021
1.9%
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).