2016
2017
2018
Total
2001-2018
39
47
107
1985
42
56
111
961
0
0
3
84
231
426
858
6113
30
48
65
3595
34
36
66
682
Source: Data accessed through the data tool based upon analyses by TRAC at Syracuse University of court
records obtained from EOIR using the Freedom of Information Act. Retrieved on March 25, 2019.
In addition, between 2001 and 2018, 1,285 persons who were listed as “stateless,” 102 of “unknown”
nationality, and 11 persons of “no” nationality received a decision on their asylum claims in
immigration court (TRAC 2019b).68 Stateless persons were also likely included among individuals
listed as from the former Soviet Union (3,100), Palestine (114), and Yugoslavia (3,115). These
figures include asylum seekers whose claims were originally denied before USCIS and who made
their claims in removal proceedings. They do not include asylum seekers whose affirmative claims
were approved by USCIS during these years. Nor do they include asylum seekers with cases pending
before the USCIS Asylum Division (320,000 as of March 2018) (USCIS Ombudsman 2018, 36), or
among the 1.1 pending immigration court cases (TRAC 2019c). Table 5 sets forth annual totals of
asylum decisions by EOIR immigration judges between 2001 and 2018. Attachment E shows annual
numbers of asylum decisions in immigration court by select listings of nationality; i.e., “unable to
name a country,” “unknown” nationality, no nationality, Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and Palestine.
Table 5. Asylum Decision for Stateless Persons and Likely Stateless Persons
Fiscal Year
of
Decision
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
StatelessAlien
Unable to
Name
Country
29
50
55
97
99
110
113
93
94
101
139
108
Unknown
3
12
20
10
15
2
2
5
7
3
7
2
No
Nationality
Soviet
Union
0
1
3
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
6
5
27
137
260
251
244
213
169
187
252
296
Yugoslavia Palestine
355
436
464
381
341
236
181
154
124
97
84
69
5
7
5
10
5
7
11
6
10
5
4
14
68 The US immigration courts granted asylum to “stateless” persons in 922 of 1,285 cases during this period, and
granted “other relief” in an additional 17 cases.
65
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