Appointed May 2024 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
2 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Nina Froes earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2003 from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a Juris Doctor in 2008 from Roger Williams University School of Law. From 2013 to 2024, she was a solo immigration law practitioner at the Law Office of Nina J. Froes in New Mattapoisett, Massachusetts. From 2012 to 2013, she was a clinical fellow at the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School of Law, and from 2010 to 2011 she was legal director of the Immigrant Victims Representation Project at Catholic Social Services of Fall River. From 2008 to 2011, she was a fellow in the immigration unit at the Legal Assistance Corporation of Central Massachusetts. She is a member of the Massachusetts and Rhode Island Bars.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
470
Completions per year
2,820 total
10.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
14.1 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
10.2%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
16.7%
Appeals remanded or reversed
24 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.
84.9%
Bond requests granted
93 bond decisions Moderate
$5,000
Median bond when set
77 bonds with amounts
1.3%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 84.9%
Court average 60.8% · median $5,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
36.7%
346 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.2%
413 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
59.1%⚠
22 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
97.9%⚠
48 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
80.9%
94 decisions Moderate
36.7%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 346 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
36.7%
This court
36.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 34% 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 · 319 decisions since 2021
37.9%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 27 decisions since 2021
22.2%
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).