The Honorable Immigration Judge Maria Lopez-Enriquez
Charlotte, NC Immigration Court
Appointed April 2009 · President Barack Obama→ Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr.(AG inferred from date)
17 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Maria Lopez-Enriquez earned a Bachelor of Science in 1988 from the University of Florida College of Business, a Juris Doctor in 1991 from the University of Florida College of Law, and a Master of International Business in 1993 from Florida International University. Before her appointment, she served as an assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Miami (2006-2009), in private practice in Davie, Florida (2005-2006), as a trial attorney with ICE in Miami (2003-2005), and as a trial attorney and asylum officer with the former INS in Miami (1994-2002).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
3,074
Completions per year
18,445 total
3.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
35.8 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
47.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
10.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
144 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.
39.3%
Bond requests granted
168 bond decisions Moderate
$7,500
Median bond when set
67 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 39.3%
Court average 100% · median $10,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
15.7%
517 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.2%
946 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
17.9%
112 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
72.7%⚠
33 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
74.5%⚠
47 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
91.7%
216 decisions High confidence
15.7%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 517 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
15.7%
This court
12.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 32% 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 · 410 decisions since 2021
17.6%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 107 decisions since 2021
8.4%
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).