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 Michael G Mcfarland earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2004 from New York University and a Juris Doctor in 2007 from NYU School of Law. From 2007 to 2011, he served as a staff attorney with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York. From 2011 to 2018, he worked as an assistant chief counsel and deputy chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security in New York. Judge Mcfarland is a member of the New York State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,138
Completions per year
6,829 total
2.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22.8 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
13.9%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
5.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
12.5%
Appeals remanded or reversed
32 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
62.1%
1,085 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
10.5%
730 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
59.8%
92 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
97%
67 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
18 decisions Too few cases
62.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,085 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
62.1%
This court
57.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 11% 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 · 993 decisions since 2021
66.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 92 decisions since 2021
17.4%
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).