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 George James Ward, Jr. earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 from Bucknell University and a Juris Doctor in 1993 from St. John's University School of Law. From 1993 to 1999, he served as an assistant district attorney with the Nassau County District Attorney's Office in Mineola, New York. From 1999 to 2018, he held a series of positions with ICE and its DHS predecessor, including assistant district counsel, associate legal advisor, legislative counsel, and, most recently, deputy chief in the Office of Chief Counsel in Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. He is a member of the New York and New Jersey bars.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
584
Completions per year
3,502 total
36.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
13.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
11.3%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
14.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
3.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
59 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.
24.9%
Bond requests granted
205 bond decisions High confidence
$15,000
Median bond when set
55 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 24.9%
Court average 50%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
18.8%
712 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.2%
1,028 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
7.4%
54 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
60%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
81.5%⚠
27 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
93.2%
295 decisions High confidence
18.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 712 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
18.8%
This court
26.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 38% 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 · 655 decisions since 2021
19.8%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 57 decisions since 2021
7%
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).