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

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

Immigration judges

Lydia Tamez

Immigration Judge, Houston - Greenspoint Park. Appointed July 2021.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Tamez86.5%
Houston - Greenspoint court89.4%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
907
Asylum granted
83
Other relief granted
39
Denied
785
Against own court
-2.9 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY22FY23FY24FY25FY26
74%73%80%92%97%

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

Docket

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

Most common nationalities: Honduras (28.2%), Mexico (16%), Venezuela (14.2%), El Salvador (11.9%), Colombia (7.9%).

Official biography

Lydia G. Tamez was appointed as an Immigration Judge to begin hearing cases in July 2021.Judge Tamez ear ned a Bachelor of Arts in 1981 from Yale University and a Juris Doctor in 1985from Yale Law School. From 2019 to 2021, she served as an Associate Judge for the City of Houston Municipal Courts. From 2016 to 2021, she was in private practice in Houston. From2015 to 2016, she was a Counselor at Law with Graves and Graves LLP, in Houston. From 2012to 2015, she was a Partner with Foster LLP, in Houston. From 2003 to 2011, she was an Associate General Counsel; from 1999 to 2003, a Senior Attorney; and from 1995 to 1999, an Attorney for Legal and Corporate Affairs, with Microsoft Corporation, in Redmond,Washington. From 1986 to 1995, she was an Attorney for Tindall and Foster PC, in Houston. Judge Tamez is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the Washington 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 Houston - Greenspoint

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.