John McPhail

Immigration Judge, Conroe Immigration Court. Appointed March 2020 by William P. Barr.

StrictDenies far more often than the national average+30.3 points

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

Judge McPhail93.2%

Conroe court84.7%

All judges nationally62.9%

Decisions on the merits: 249
Asylum granted: 3
Other relief granted: 14
Denied: 232
Against own court: +8.5 pts

Denial rate by fiscal year
FY24	FY25	FY26
92%	90%	96%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 49% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: Venezuela (12.9%), Honduras (12%), Mauritania (11.2%), Mexico (8%), El Salvador (6.8%).

Official biography

Attorney General William P. Barr appointed John W. McPhail as an immigration judge in March 2020. Judge McPhail ear ned a Bachelor of Science in 1980 from the State University College at Buffalo, New York and a Juris Doctor in 1984 from the University of Tulsa. From 2016 to 2020,he served as an asylum officer and immigration officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Houston. From 1996 to 2016, he serve das an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor,Immigration and Customs Enforcement, DHS, in Houston. From 1985 to 1996, he served as an assistant district attorney, in Garfield and Atoka County, Oklahoma. Judge McPhail is a memberof the Oklahoma 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 Conroe

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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.