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 James Mckee earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 from Syracuse University, a Juris Doctor in 1991 from Syracuse University College of Law, and a Master of Laws in 2002 from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School. He served as a U.S. Army judge advocate from 1994 to 2016, retiring as a colonel, then worked with the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund (2016-2018) and with the Department of Defense in Germany and at Fort Meade, Maryland (2018-2020).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,152
Completions per year
6,915 total
2.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
17.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
30.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
20.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
14.7%
Appeals remanded or reversed
129 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
13.1%
1,094 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.9%
1,855 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
47.6%⚠
21 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
33.3%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
69.2%⚠
13 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
99%
103 decisions Moderate
13.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,094 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
13.1%
This court
33.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 26% 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 · 913 decisions since 2021
15%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 181 decisions since 2021
3.3%
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).