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 Maria I Akalski was appointed to begin hearing cases in December 2022. From 2018 to 2022 she served as an assistant chief counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in New York, and from 2007 to 2015 she held several roles with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, including deputy field office director in New York and section chief in Newark, New Jersey. Earlier in her career she practiced immigration law in New York and worked as an associate at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. She is a member of the New York State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,865
Completions per year
11,192 total
7.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
21.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
22%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
14.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.9%
Appeals remanded or reversed
1,087 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.
26.7%⚠
Bond requests granted
45 bond decisions Too few cases
$15,000
Median bond when set
11 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 26.7%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
4.1%
2,313 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
0.4%
3,254 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
66%
94 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
25%⚠
4 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
52.9%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
95.7%
399 decisions High confidence
4.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 2,313 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
4.1%
This court
19.9%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 6% 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 · 1,520 decisions since 2021
6.1%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 793 decisions since 2021
0.3%
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).