What is Judge Karen Y. Hope's background?
EOIR's notice says that Karen Y. Hope was appointed in December 2021. Judge Hope earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1989 from San Diego State University, a Juris Doctor in 1993 from Pepperdine University, School of Law, a Master of Laws in 1994 from Georgetown University, School of Law, and a Doctor of Philosophy in 2006 from Georgetown University. From 2019 to 2021, she served as Senior Legal Advisor, Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), Department of Justice (DOJ). From 1995 to 2019, she served as an Attorney Advisor, BIA, EOIR, DOJ. From 1994 to 1995, she served as a Judicial Law Clerk, Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer, entering on duty through the Attorney General’s Honors Program.
What does TRAC report about Judge Karen Y. Hope's asylum decisions?
TRAC, a research center that began at Syracuse University, reports that for FY 2021 - 2026 (data covers the first 9 months of fiscal year 2026), Judge Karen Y. Hope decided 329 asylum cases at Santa Ana Immigration Court and denied 79.0 percent, based on its report of Aug 27, 2026. These are past figures for one court. They do not predict your case, which turns on your facts, evidence, nationality and representation, and TRAC cautions against simple comparisons between judges at different courts. Read the full report at TRAC, and talk to a lawyer about your own case.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Karen Y. Hope 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 Sterling Immigration Court. The relationship is recorded as listed 2026-10-20; it may include supervisory coverage rather than a merits-hearing assignment.