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 Yul-mi Cho earned a combined Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in 2001 from Boston University and a Juris Doctor in 2009 from Roger Williams University School of Law. From 2018 to 2023, she served as an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. From 2010 to 2018, she was an assistant district attorney with the Bristol County District Attorney's Office in Fall River, Massachusetts. She is a member of the Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York State Bars.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
722
Completions per year
4,332 total
68.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
5.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
0.9%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
26.3%
Appeals remanded or reversed
274 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.
51.9%
Bond requests granted
1,406 bond decisions High confidence
$5,750
Median bond when set
728 bonds with amounts
0.8%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 51.9%
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
17.4%
478 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
4.7%
794 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
38.3%
60 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
14.8%⚠
27 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
55.8%
52 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
52.8%
235 decisions High confidence
17.4%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 478 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
17.4%
This court
36.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 35% 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 · 396 decisions since 2021
19.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 82 decisions since 2021
7.3%
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).