Colleen Kollar-Kotelly
Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly 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 40 of the group's written decisions, from 38 cases; the newest of them was decided August 1, 2024. The line at the top counts the whole group.
40written decisions
38cases they come from
23decisions weigh the TRAC factors
20median 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
20 months at the median; half fall between 11.4 and 36.1. 25 cases state it.
Months from the application to the court's decision
25.9 months at the median; half fall between 15 and 45.5. 26 decisions state it.
Leaves out the 10 decisions holding that the agency had acted: their months to the decision are not a delay.
What the suits asked for, by case
- Decide the application13
- Schedule an interview2
- Finish 221(g) processing12
- Decide the asylum application2
- Issue a work permit2
- Some other action5
- Not recorded2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGHAZADEH v. GARLAND | August 1, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Aghazadeh v. Garland | August 1, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Jahangiri v. U.S. Department of State | July 15, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| AGHABEIGI v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE | March 29, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| VAFAEI v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) | March 21, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Vafaei v. United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (Uscis) | March 21, 2024 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Mottahedan v. Oudkirk | January 11, 2024 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Cheng v. Heller | December 14, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Fakhimi v. United States Department of State | October 23, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Rezaei v. Garland | August 16, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | neutral | neutral | Dismissed |
| Jahangiri v. U.S. Department of State | August 11, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the applicant | neutral | Dismissed |
| Khoshrou v. United States Department of State | August 2, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | neutral | neutral | Dismissed |
| Pacheco Quiros v. Amador | July 6, 2023 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sindt v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | March 1, 2023 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Memon v. Blinken | February 1, 2023 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | Dismissed |
| Tesfaye v. Blinken | September 28, 2022 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | Denied in the government's favor |
| Dehghanighanatghestani v. Mesquita | September 22, 2022 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | Denied in the government's favor | |
| Dean v. United States Department of Homeland Security | July 15, 2022 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Manzoor v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | May 3, 2022 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Sychev v. Cuccinelli | March 30, 2022 | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed as moot | ||
| Pushkar v. Blinken | September 23, 2021 | favors the government | neutral | favors the government | favors the government | favors the applicant | Denied in the government's favor | |
| Thakker v. Cuccinelli | March 22, 2021 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
| Desai v. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services | March 22, 2021 | favors the government | favors the applicant | favors the government | favors the government | favors the government | neutral | Dismissed |
Every decision, by case
All 40 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 38 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AGHAZADEH v. GARLAND | August 1, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Aghazadeh v. Garland | August 1, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Jahangiri v. U.S. Department of State | July 15, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| AGHABEIGI v. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE | March 29, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| VAFAEI v. UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP & IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS) | March 21, 2024 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Vafaei v. United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (Uscis) | March 21, 2024 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Mottahedan v. Oudkirk | January 11, 2024 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Cheng v. Heller | December 14, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Vu v. Jaddou | October 26, 2023 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed as moot | Neither side |
| Fakhimi v. United States Department of State | October 23, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Rezaei v. Garland | August 16, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Jahangiri v. U.S. Department of State | August 11, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Khoshrou v. United States Department of State | August 2, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-160 | Dismissed | Government |
| Pacheco Quiros v. Amador | July 6, 2023 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sindt v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | March 1, 2023 | National Visa Center | I-130 | Dismissed | Government |
| Memon v. Blinken | February 1, 2023 | National Visa Center | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Alabrash v. United States Department of Homeland Security | November 15, 2022 | USCIS | I-589 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| KARAM v. GARLAND | September 30, 2022 | USCIS | DS-7656 | Dismissed | Government |
| Tesfaye v. Blinken and 1 other order in this case, below | September 29, 2022 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Other order in this case Tesfaye v. Blinken | September 28, 2022 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Dehghanighanatghestani v. Mesquita | September 22, 2022 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Dean v. United States Department of Homeland Security | July 15, 2022 | National Visa Center | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Manzoor v. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services | May 3, 2022 | Department of State | DS-260 | Dismissed | Government |
| Sychev v. Cuccinelli | March 30, 2022 | Department of State | DS-260, I-526 | Dismissed as moot | Neither side |
| Haider v. United States Department of Homeland Security | December 1, 2021 | USCIS | I-130 | Dismissed as moot | Government |
| Omori v. Blinken | September 30, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Pushkar v. Blinken and 1 other order in this case, below | September 23, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Denied in the government's favor | Government |
| Other order in this case Pushkar v. Blinken | November 2, 2021 | Department of State | DS-260 | Not recorded | Neither side |
| Davila Calixto v. Acosta | March 24, 2021 | Department of Labor | Procedural order | Neither side | |
| Thakker v. Cuccinelli | March 22, 2021 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Desai v. U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services | March 22, 2021 | USCIS | I-526 | Dismissed | Government |
| Koratala v. Gaynor | March 2, 2021 | USCIS | I-539, I-765 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| Gorrepati v. Wolf | February 25, 2021 | USCIS | I-765 | Transferred to another court | Neither side |
| MOGHADDAM v. POMPEO | January 22, 2020 | Department of State | 221(g), DS-260 | Denied in the applicant's favor | Applicant |
| Gomez v. Kelly | March 22, 2018 | USCIS | I-589 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Kwok Sze v. Johnson | March 24, 2016 | USCIS | Dismissed | Government | |
| Kingston v. Lynch | March 14, 2016 | USCIS | Dismissed | Government | |
| Ravulapalli v. Napolitano | March 29, 2011 | USCIS | I-485 | Dismissed in part; some claims go on | Each side in part |
| Walker v. Holder | May 27, 2010 | USCIS | Dismissed | Government | |
| Van Ravenswaay v. Chertoff | May 4, 2009 | Department of State | B-1 | Dismissed | 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.
82suits in the docket record
73have ended
9still pending
126median 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.43
- Dismissed, ground not recordedThe court dismissed and the record gives no ground: it can be a dismissal as moot after the agency acted, for want of prosecution, or a loss.14
- TransferredMoved to another district court.9
- Dismissed on jurisdiction or the meritsDismissed for want of jurisdiction or on the TRAC factors, or judgment for the government.6
- Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1
Days from the suit's filing to its end
126 days at the median; half fall between 63 and 255. 73 dockets state it.
Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted
101 days at the median; half fall between 58 and 172.5. 43 dockets state it.
29 of these suits have a written decision in the group.