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 L Lakomy earned a Bachelor of Science in 1994 from Rutgers College and a Juris Doctor in 1997 from Rutgers School of Law-Newark. From 2018 to 2022, she served as resident legal advisor at the Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training (OPDAT) at the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, Albania, and from 2012 to 2018 in the same role at the U.S. Embassy in Pristina, Kosovo. Earlier, she was an assistant prosecutor at the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office in New Jersey (1999-2011).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
638
Completions per year
3,827 total
17%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
1.1%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 16 appeals — too few
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
28.3%
346 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.8%
538 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
0%⚠
8 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%
51 decisions Moderate
28.3%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 346 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
28.3%
This court
27.1%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 48% 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 · 283 decisions since 2021
30.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 63 decisions since 2021
19%
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).