Judges / Northern District of California
Susan G. Van Keulen
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Susan G. Van Keulen signed, every one listed below, and the agency-delay suits that name the judge.
2,914 written decisions from 2,661 cases in the whole mandamus and agency-delay group, the group's newest decided October 30, 2026. Updated November 3, 2026 at 1:24 a.m. CT; the Passim connector counts the live collection, which can differ by the day's additions and retirements (which total to quote). Coverage: of the 1,606 public decisions since January 1, 2025 that a CourtListener and GovInfo search for mandamus and agency delay finds, Passim holds 1,371 (85%), measured November 3, 2026. Some of what that search finds are not mandamus decisions. Tell us about a decision we're missing.
These are counts of past written decisions and dockets, not predictions of how any case will be decided. A distribution appears only when at least 5 decisions (or 5 dockets) are behind it; smaller groups are listed, not summarized. How it's counted.
Read these counts as a record of past decisions, not a rate at which this judge rules for either side and not a prediction. Each decision turned on its own facts, its posture and what the parties asked for; the suits that reach a written decision are the contested minority. Read the decisions before drawing anything from them.
How the decisions came out
This page counts 12 of the group's written decisions, from 10 cases; the newest of them was decided October 16, 2026. The line at the top counts the whole group.
12written decisions
10cases they come from
2decisions weigh the TRAC factors
9.6median months from the application to the suit
Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here: the 2 other orders in those cases are listed with their case, not counted again. A motion to dismiss denied and a later judgment for the government count as the judgment. How decisions are grouped into cases.
Disposition, by case
Months from the application to the suit
9.6 months at the median; half fall between 7.2 and 35.1. 7 cases state it.
Months from the application to the court's decision
16.6 months at the median; half fall between 9.6 and 50.7. 10 decisions state it.
Leaves out the 1 decision holding that the agency had acted: its months to the decision are not a delay.
What the suits asked for, by case
- Decide the application6
- Schedule an interview1
- Issue a work permit2
- Not recorded1
Decisions by year
TRAC rulings
Decisions in which the judge weighed the TRAC factors, newest first, with how the judge found each factor. Factors the decision did not reach are left blank.
| Decision | Decided | 1. Rule of reason | 2. Congressional timetable | 3. Human health and welfare | 4. Competing priorities | 5. Interests prejudiced | 6. No impropriety needed | Disposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dayabaran v. Edlow | July 29, 2026 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed | |
| Ahmed v. United States Department of State | January 26, 2024 | favors the government | neutral | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Granted in the government's favor |
Every decision, by case
All 12 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 10 cases, newest first. Each case's latest decision comes first and is the one the counts above count; the case's other orders follow it. Download every decision as a spreadsheet (CSV).
| Decision | Decided | Agency | Form | Disposition | Prevailing party |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Behdin et al v. Edlow and 1 other order in this case, below | October 16, 2026 | USCIS | I-765 | Dismissed as moot | Neither side |
| Other order in this case Behdin v. Edlow | April 16, 2026 | USCIS | I-765 | Granted in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Dayabaran v. Edlow | July 29, 2026 | USCIS | I-485, I-526E | Dismissed | Government |
| Mamaduru v. Edlow | July 14, 2026 | USCIS | I-485, I-526E | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Shokri Varniab v. Edlow and 1 other order in this case, below | June 12, 2026 | USCIS | I-485, I-765 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Other order in this case Shokri Varniab v. Edlow | February 20, 2026 | USCIS | I-485, I-765 | Granted in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Narayan v. Edlow | April 16, 2026 | USCIS | I-485 | Denied in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Huezo v. Edlow | April 15, 2026 | USCIS | I-485 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Wang v. Edlow | April 15, 2026 | USCIS | I-485 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Gao v. United States Department of Homeland Security | April 8, 2026 | USCIS | I-485 | Denied in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Ding v. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) | February 10, 2026 | Not recorded | I-765 | Other ruling | Applicant |
| Ahmed v. United States Department of State | January 26, 2024 | Department of State | DS-260 | Granted in the government's favor | Government |
How agency-delay suits ended
Most suits end without a written decision: the agency acts and the parties dismiss. These counts come from the docket record (the federal courts' Integrated Database and CourtListener) and count every mandamus, APA and section 1447(b) suit against any immigration agency, whatever year it was filed, among the dockets that name this judge. Check a delay counts fewer: a court's suits of the last three years against the form's agency.
84suits in the docket record
70have ended
14still pending
93.5median days from the suit's filing to its end
How the ended suits ended
- Ended once the agency actedThe plaintiff dismissed, the parties stipulated to dismissal, or the court dismissed as moot: how suits end once the agency decides. The docket rarely says why, or whether the agency approved or denied.62
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.3
- Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).3
- TransferredMoved to another district court.1
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
93.5 days at the median; half fall between 61 and 217. 70 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
89 days at the median; half fall between 59.5 and 196.8. 62 dockets state it.
19 of these suits have a written decision in the group.