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

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

Immigration judges

James McKee

Immigration Judge, New York/Federal Plaza Immigration Court. Appointed October 2020 by William P. Barr.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge McKee85.4%
New York court47.7%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
1,098
Asylum granted
135
Other relief granted
25
Denied
938
Against own court
+37.7 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
71%68%82%94%97%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 82% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: China (50%), Senegal (50%).

Official biography

Attorney General William P. Barr appointed James R. McKee as an Immigration Judge in October 2020. Judge McKee ear ned a Bachelor of Arts in 1988 from Syracuse University, a Juris Doctor in 1991 from the Syracuse University College of Law, and a Master of Laws in 2002from the Judge Advocate General's Legal Center and School. From 2018 to 2020, he served as chief, Foreign Law Branch, Department of Defense, in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the Intelligence and Security Command, in Fort Meade, Maryland. From 2016 to 2018, he servedwith the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Department of Justice. From 1994 to 2016,he served as a U.S. Army judge advocate in multiple positions in the criminal, operational, and administrative law divisions. He also served in the legal assistance, training development and future concepts director ates, and as the first program manager of the Special Victims' Counsel Program, in the U.S., Germany, Iraq, and Afghanistan. From 1996 to 2001, he served with NATO in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Kosovo. From 2003 to 2013, he served in Operation Enduring Freedom once and in Operation Iraqi Freedom three times, retiring as colonel in 2016.From 1989 to 1993, he served as an enlisted infantry soldier with the 10th Mountain Division,Communications and Legislative Affairs Division New York Army National Guard. From 1991 to 1993, he served as a clerk for the 60th Judicial District Court of Common Pleas, in Pike County, Pennsylvania. Judge McKee is a member of the New York State Bar and the Pennsylvania State 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 New York

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.