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 Todd A Masters earned a Bachelor of Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1992, a Master of Arts from the University of Maryland, College Park in 1993, and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 2005. Following a decade of U.S. Navy service, he was an assistant district attorney in Suffolk County (2005-2008) and served in the ICE Office of Chief Counsel in Boston as assistant and deputy chief counsel (2008-2018). Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed him to the Boston Immigration Court in October 2018.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,708
Completions per year
10,245 total
3.7%
Detained at decision
share of cases
20.6 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
11.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
13.5%
Appeals remanded or reversed
510 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.
19.4%
Bond requests granted
186 bond decisions Moderate
$6,500
Median bond when set
36 bonds with amounts
2.8%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 19.4%
Court average 26.6% · median $6,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
36.8%
1,182 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2%
1,435 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
60.4%⚠
48 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
66.7%⚠
6 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
92.1%
63 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
94.5%
201 decisions High confidence
36.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,182 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
36.8%
This court
45.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 33% 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 · 1,147 decisions since 2021
37.1%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 35 decisions since 2021
28.6%
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).