What is Judge Laurie Samuels's background?
EOIR's notice says that Laurie Samuels was appointed in June 2026. Judge Samuels earned a Bachelor of Science in 2001 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Juris Doctor in 2006 from the University of Illinois College of Law. From September 2008 to June 2026, she was an attorney in private practice in Chicago. From August 2024 to May 2026, she served as an administrative law judge for the Village of Oak Park, Illinois. From December 2016 to December 2023, she served as an administrative law judge for the Department of Administrative Hearings, City of Chicago, Illinois. During this time, she also served as an arbitrator for the Department of Mandatory Arbitration, Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Laurie Samuels 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 New York - Federal Plaza 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.