New York · est. 2013Friday, September 4, 2026
Inside Immigration

Plain-language guides to US immigration, asylum and USCIS procedure.

Immigration judges

Emmanuel Garcia

Immigration Judge, Laredo Immigration Court. Appointed May 2024.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Garcia94.5%
Laredo court77.3%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
181
Asylum granted
4
Other relief granted
6
Denied
171
Against own court
+17.2 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY25FY26
94%96%

Read from TRAC's chart to the nearest point. Years with fewer than 25 decisions are not shown.

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 36% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: Mexico (24.9%), Venezuela (12.2%), Honduras (9.9%), Cuba (5.5%), Haiti (5.5%).

Official biography

Emmanuel Garcia was appointed as an immigration judge to begin hearing cases in May 2024. Judge Garcia ear ned a Bachelor of Science in 2006 from Southwestern University, a Juris Doctor in 2011 from St. Mary's University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in 2012 from the University of Texas School of Law. From 2020 to 2024, he served as a deputy chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in San Antonio. From 2016 to 2020, he served as an assistant chief counsel with OPLA, ICE, DHS, in San Antonio. From 2013 to 2016, he served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Orlando L. Garcia, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. From 2012 to 2013, he served as a briefing attorney for the Honorable Marialyn Barnard of the Court of Appeals, Fourth Judicial District, State of Texas. Judge Garcia is a member of the State Bar of Texas.

As published by the Executive Office for Immigration Review at appointment, via TRAC.

In the record

No published reporting or appellate decisions naming this judge have been collected yet.

Other judges at Laredo

Court page →

About these figures. Denial rates describe outcomes in the cases a judge happened to hear, which differ by detention, nationality and representation. They are not a measure of fairness or competence. Method and sources are on the judges index.