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 Karen Hope earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 from San Diego State University, a Juris Doctor in 1993 from Pepperdine University School of Law, a Master of Laws in 1994 from Georgetown University Law Center, and a Ph.D. in 2006 from Georgetown University. Before her appointment, she served as a senior legal advisor (2019-2021) and attorney advisor (1995-2019) with the Board of Immigration Appeals, and earlier as a judicial law clerk.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
691
Completions per year
4,145 total
1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
15.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
27.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
14.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
1.8%
Appeals remanded or reversed
171 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
16%
564 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2%
854 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
17.2%⚠
29 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
82.4%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
98.4%
63 decisions Moderate
16%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 564 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
16%
This court
19.1%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 33% 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 · 540 decisions since 2021
16.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 24 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.
* 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).