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 Michelle Kahan earned a Bachelor of Arts from the School of International Service at American University in 1983 and a Juris Doctor from the Delaware Law School of Widener University in 1986. She practiced law in York, Pennsylvania for decades, including as a shareholder and managing attorney at Wolfson & Kahan PC and as a solo practitioner, and served as a judicial hearing officer for the Court of Common Pleas of York County (1994-2022). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland appointed her to the Boston Immigration Court in March 2022.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,586
Completions per year
9,516 total
1.9%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22.8 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
18.9%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
7.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
514 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
30.8%
1,125 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.3%
1,450 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
35.7%⚠
14 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
83.3%⚠
12 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
93.3%
178 decisions Moderate
30.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,125 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
30.8%
This court
45.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 43% 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 · 1,075 decisions since 2021
31.5%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 50 decisions since 2021
16%
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).