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

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

Immigration judges

James K. Grim

Immigration Judge, Orlando Immigration Court. Appointed April 2009.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Grim51.5%
Orlando court72.3%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
332
Asylum granted
137
Other relief granted
24
Denied
171
Against own court
-20.8 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25
61%62%51%41%44%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 87% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: Venezuela (25.9%), Honduras (14.8%), Guatemala (9.9%), Colombia (7.8%), Cuba (5.1%).

Official biography

Judge Grim was appointed as an immigration judge in April 2009. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1988 from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a juris doctorate in 1992 from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. From October 2008 to April 2009, Judge Grim served as deputy chief counsel for ICE, DHS, in Orlando. From October 2005 to October 2008, he served as an attorney for Customs and Border Protection, DHS, in Tampa. From March 2003 to October 2005, Judge Grim served as an assistant chief counsel for ICE in Bradenton. From October 1995 to March 2003, he served as an assistant district counsel for the former INS in Bradenton and Miami. From October 1993 to October 1995, Judge Grim was in private practice in Fremont, Neb. From February to October 1993, he worked as a staff attorney at Legal Services of Southeast Nebraska. Judge Grim is a member of the Nebraska Bar.

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 Orlando

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.