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

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

Immigration judges

Philip J. Costa

Immigration Judge, Los Angeles - West Los Angeles Immigration Court. Appointed October 2010 by Eric Holder.

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

TRAC source →
Judge Costa38.5%
Los Angeles - WLA court61.2%
All judges nationally62.9%
Decisions on the merits
364
Asylum granted
206
Other relief granted
18
Denied
140
Against own court
-22.7 pts
Denial rate by fiscal year
FY21FY22FY23FY24FY25
42%33%39%36%43%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 95% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: China (27.5%), El Salvador (14.8%), Mexico (12.6%), Russia (9.3%), Guatemala (6.6%).

Official biography

Attorney General Eric Holder appointed Judge Costa in October 2010. Judge Costa received a bachelor of arts degree in 1989 and a juris doctorate in 1992, both from New York University. From 2003 to October 2010, he served as deputy chief counsel, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, New York. From 1997 to 2003, Judge Costa was an assistant district counsel for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, New York. From 1992 to 1997, he worked as a general commercial litigation associate for Chadbourne & Parke, LLP, New York. Judge Costa 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 Los Angeles - WLA

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.