Appointed December 2022 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
3 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Lori Yokoyama earned a Bachelor of Science in 1977 from Northeastern Illinois University, a Juris Doctor in 1980 from DePaul University College of Law, and an MBA in 1994 from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She founded and managed Yokoyama & Associates, P.C. from 2000 to 2022 and was co-managing partner at Sanchez, Daniels, Yokoyama, Hastie, and Greene from 2012 to 2019, after serving as a partner at Sanchez and Daniels from 1988 to 2000. She earlier worked as an associate at Hinshaw, Culbertson, Moelmann, Hoban & Fuller from 1981 to 1988. She is a member of the Illinois State Bar and the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
508
Completions per year
2,538 total
5.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
13.3 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
2.3%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 15 appeals — too few
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
100%⚠
Bond requests granted
1 bond decision Too few cases
$2,500
Median bond when set
1 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 100%
Court average 56.1% · median $3,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
11.5%
122 decisions Moderate
Withholding / CAT
3%
197 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
33.3%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
57.1%⚠
7 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
76%⚠
25 decisions Too few cases
11.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits Moderate
Based on 122 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
11.5%
This court
45.7%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 22% 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 · 104 decisions since 2021
12.5%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 18 decisions since 2021
5.6%
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).