Appointed November 2023 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland(AG inferred from date)
2 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Donald Ostrom earned a Bachelor of Science from George Mason University in 2000, a Juris Doctor from Capital University Law School in 2003, and a Master of Laws in Military Law from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School in 2009. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1990-1995) and as a judge advocate in the U.S. Navy from 2003 to 2023, culminating as a circuit trial judge for the Navy and Marine Corps Trial Judiciary in Norfolk, Virginia. He was appointed to the Chelmsford Immigration Court in November 2023.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
417
Completions per year
2,087 total
31.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
12.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
5.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
8.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
95 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.
63.1%
Bond requests granted
344 bond decisions High confidence
$3,500
Median bond when set
213 bonds with amounts
0.9%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 63.1%
Court average 60.8% · median $5,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
30.8%
247 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.6%
273 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
40%⚠
15 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
96.3%⚠
27 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
85%⚠
40 decisions Too few cases
30.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 247 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
30.8%
This court
36.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 43% 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 · 211 decisions since 2021
35.5%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 36 decisions since 2021
2.8%
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.
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).