What is Judge James Hong's background?
EOIR's notice says that James Hong was appointed in August 2026. Judge Hong earned a Bachelor of Science in 2004 from the University of California, Irvine, a Juris Doctor in 2007 from Trinity Law School, and a Master of Laws in 2011 from Fowler (Chapman) School of Law. From August 2011 to August 2026, he was a deputy district attorney at the Orange County District Attorney’s office in Santa Ana, California. From January 2010 to August 2011, he served as a sole practitioner at Esquire Law Center in Irvine, California. From June 2008 to January 2010, he served as a consumer bankruptcy attorney at Doan Law Firm in Laguna Hills, California.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name James Hong in 1 alphabetical row. The recorded title is Immigration Judge. The record is not an appointment history or an employment certification.
Dated court associations
EOIR’s court-specific tables associate this entry with Santa Ana Immigration Court. The relationship is recorded as listed 2026-10-20; it may include supervisory coverage rather than a merits-hearing assignment.
No outcome or personal-profile claims
This entry does not provide an asylum approval rate, predict a decision, or claim personal background not established by the cited source. Confirm the assigned judge and attendance details from your notice and the court. A change of judge does not by itself change deadlines or excuse attendance.