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 Xavier Francois Nicola Racine earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 from Boston College and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from Suffolk University Law School. He began his legal career as an associate with Jaime Aparisi & Associates LLC (2001-2002), then served as a senior associate at Montagut & Sobral PC (2002-2008). He was subsequently a partner at Marks Calderon Derwin & Racine PLC (2008-2014) and at Priale & Racine PLC (2014-2021). He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar and is admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
746
Completions per year
4,477 total
0.9%
Detained at decision
share of cases
24 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
31.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
12.9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.9%
Appeals remanded or reversed
35 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
29%
952 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.3%
1,294 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
4.8%⚠
21 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
0%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
10 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
97.2%
108 decisions Moderate
29%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 952 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
29%
This court
26.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 46% 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 · 795 decisions since 2021
33.7%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 157 decisions since 2021
5.1%
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).