Immigration judge

Judge Joyce Bakke Varzandeh

Immigration Judge at West Los Angeles, CA

26.8%Grant rate · all years
Joyce Bakke Varzandeh26.8%
Court median judge25.9%
National16.6%

EOIR data through Sep 1, 2026 · updated monthly

1,534
Granted
4,199
Denied
5,733
Total Decided
Snapshot answer

The 2026-09-01 snapshot lists a 26.8% historical asylum grant rate for Joyce Bakke Varzandeh at West Los Angeles, CA, based on 1,534 grants and 4,199 denials (5,733 decided outcomes).

The 2026-09-01 EOIR snapshot lists Joyce Bakke Varzandeh with West Los Angeles, CA. With an asylum approval rate of 26.8%, this judge is above average compared to the national average. Data sourced from EOIR (Executive Office for Immigration Review). Historical listings do not by themselves establish a current assignment.

Community Discussion

DATA

Judge Bakke Varzandeh (West Los Angeles, CA) data snapshot: Overall rate fell from 33% to 6% in 3 years

A few numbers worth knowing if you have a hearing in front of Judge Bakke Varzandeh, Joyce (IJ code JBV, West Los Angeles, CA):

37 years on the bench (since 1990), 7,511 cases total, lifetime grant rate 28.3%

Last 3 years (2023–2026): 2,386 cases, grant rate 11.0% — roughly in line with the West Los Angeles court average (13.1%)

Nationality / Cases / Grant rate
Mexico                 628   15.1%
Guatemala              361    3.0%
El Salvador            323    9.3%
Honduras               192    2.1%
Colombia               180    0.6%
Nicaragua              173    3.8%
China                  125   42.4%
Venezuela               70    9.1%
Russia                  48   48.7%
Peru                    44   10.5%
Ecuador                 30    0.0%
2023:  337 cases, 33.5% grant rate
2024:  404 cases, 19.9% grant rate
2025: 1092 cases, 4.3% grant rate
2026:  553 cases, 6.3% grant rate

If you've appeared before Judge Bakke Varzandeh, I'd love to hear:

1. What's your nationality, and when was your most recent hearing?

2. How did your attorney prepare for this judge specifically?

Source: EOIR (U.S. Executive Office for Immigration Review) public statistics, May 2026 release, compiled by AsylumTracker. A judge's historical pattern does not predict the outcome of any individual case; this is shared to help set realistic expectations. Real-experience accounts from the community are welcome.

Have experience with this judge? Open AsylumTracker to reply or read more responses from the community.

How to Interpret These Judge Statistics

Joyce Bakke Varzandeh is listed with the West Los Angeles, CA Immigration Court. The headline asylum grant rate shown here is 26.8% based on granted and denied asylum decisions represented in the current dataset.

Among the largest nationality groups shown for this judge, the table highlights Mexico (654 decided, 22.3% grant rate), Guatemala (453 decided, 4.4% grant rate), and El Salvador (335 decided, 12.5% grant rate). Compare these rows with the judge's overall rate because nationality mix can materially change how the headline number should be read.

Grant rate is calculated as granted / (granted + denied). Other procedural outcomes, including terminated, withdrawn, administratively closed, or removed cases, are tracked separately where available and are not treated as asylum grants.

This page is based on public EOIR data last updated 2026-09-01. It is for research and information only, not legal advice.

Read the grant-rate methodology or learn how to read immigration judge statistics.

Nationality Breakdown

NationalityCasesGrant rate
Mexico 654 22.3%
Guatemala 453 4.4%
El Salvador 335 12.5%
Colombia 220 0.5%
Honduras 196 5.1%
Nicaragua 179 3.4%
China 151 39.7%
Venezuela 93 11.8%

Yearly Trends

YearCasesGrant rate
2026 784 5.4%
2025 884 4.3%
2024 296 19.9%
2023 233 33.5%
2022 86 62.8%
2021 82 61.0%
2020 295 27.5%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Judge Joyce Bakke Varzandeh's asylum grant rate?

Judge Joyce Bakke Varzandeh granted asylum in 26.8% of 5,733 decided cases (grants plus denials), according to EOIR data.

Does Judge Joyce Bakke Varzandeh grant asylum more or less often than other judges?

The rate (26.8%) is above the 16.6% national rate; the median judge at West Los Angeles, CA grants 25.9%. It is a historical average, not a prediction for any one case.

How is this grant rate calculated?

Grants divided by grants plus denials. Terminations, withdrawals and administrative closures are not counted.

Other judges at this court