Samuel B. Cole

Immigration Judge, Chicago Immigration Court. Appointed August 2016 by Loretta E. Lynch.

StrictDenies more often than the national average+8.9 points

Asylum record, FY 2021-2026

Judge Cole71.8%

Chicago court49.0%

All judges nationally62.9%

Decisions on the merits: 163
Asylum granted: 29
Other relief granted: 17
Denied: 117
Against own court: +22.8 pts

Denial rate by fiscal year
FY21	FY22	FY23	FY24
73%	78%	62%	79%

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

Docket

Respondents represented by counsel: 64% (nationally, 81% are represented).

Most common nationalities: Mexico (22.7%), Honduras (12.9%), Guatemala (7.4%), Venezuela (6.1%), Nicaragua (4.9%).

Official biography

Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch appointed Samuel B. Cole to begin hearing cases in August 2016. Judge Cole ear ned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1995 from Rice University and a Juris Doctor in 1998 from the Harvard Law School. From 2003 to July 2016, he served as an assistant U.S. attorney, U.S. Attorney's Office, Department of Justice, in Chicago. From 1999 through 2003, he served as an associate attorney for McDermott, Will & Emery, in Chicago. Judge Cole is a member of the Illinois 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 Chicago

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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.