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

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

Immigration judges

Jem C. Sponzo

Immigration Judge, New York/Federal Plaza Immigration Court. Appointed February 2017 by Loretta E. Lynch.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Sponzo29.9%
New York court47.7%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
842
Asylum granted
545
Other relief granted
45
Denied
252
Against own court
-17.8 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY21FY22FY24FY25FY26
21%4%2%13%89%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 94% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: China (28.4%), India (15.4%), Bangladesh (9.3%), Ecuador (5.1%), Russia (5%).

Official biography

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch appointed Jem C. Sponzo to begin hearing cases in February 2017. Judge Sponzo ear ned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 2003 from Hamilton College and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from the University of Connecticut School of Law. From 2007 to January 2017, she served as a trial attorney for the Civil Division, Office of Immigration Litigation, Department of Justice (DOJ), in Washington, D.C. From January 2015 to July 2015, she also served as a clearance counsel for the Office of Presidential Personnel, White House, Executive Office of the President of the United States. From 2006 through 2007, she served as a judicial law clerk for the New York City Immigration Court, Executive Office for Immigration Review, DOJ, entering on duty through the Attorney General's Honors Program. Judge Sponzo is a member of the New York 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.