Katherine L. Hansen
Immigration Judge, Detroit Immigration Court. Appointed August 2017 by Jeff Sessions.
Asylum record, FY 2021-2026
TRAC source →- Decisions on the merits
- 225
- Asylum granted
- 73
- Other relief granted
- 14
- Denied
- 138
- Against own court
- -6.0 pts
| FY25 | FY26 |
|---|---|
| 42% | 79% |
Docket
Respondents represented by counsel: 84% (nationally, 81% are represented).
Most common nationalities: Mexico (15.1%), Venezuela (12.9%), Cuba (12%), Nicaragua (9.8%), Guatemala (8%).
Official biography
Attorney General Jeff Sessions appointed Katherine L. Hansen to begin hearing cases in August 2017. Judge Hansen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1986 from Morningside College, a Juris Doctor in 1991 from Drake University School of Law, and a Master of Laws degree in 1997 from Wayne State University School of Law. From 2016 to 2017, she served as a senior staff attorney for Iowa Legal Aid. From 2004 to 2016, she served as a district court judge for Michigan's 36th District Court, in Detroit, Mich. From 2000 to 2004, she served as an assistant attorney general for the State of Michigan. From 1993 to 1999, she served as a member of the Michigan Employment Security Board of Review for the State of Michigan, in Lansing, Mich. Judge Hansen is a member of the Iowa and Michigan State Bars.
In the record
For immigrants seeking asylum in Minnesota, success depends partly on which judge they get
The Star Tribune's examination of asylum outcomes at Fort Snelling opens in Hansen's courtroom and reports that she approved 60 percent of asylum cases over a five-year span, the highest rate among the Minnesota immigration judges for whom figures were available.
EOIR notice announcing new immigration judges
This EOIR announcement lists Katherine L. Hansen as an immigration judge at the Bloomington Immigration Court, appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to begin hearing cases in August 2017. The biography states: From 2016 to 2017, she served as a senior staff attorney for Iowa Legal Aid.
Other judges at Detroit
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.