Judges / District of Minnesota

John R. Tunheim

Written decisions in the mandamus and agency-delay group that Judge John R. Tunheim 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 6 of the group's written decisions, from 6 cases; the newest of them was decided November 26, 2024. The line at the top counts the whole group.

6written decisions
6cases they come from
1decisions weigh the TRAC factors
48.7median months from the application to the suit

Each case counts once in these outcome counts, by its latest decision here. 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

  • Denied (either side's motion)1
  • Dismissed in part; some claims go on2
  • Remanded to the agency2
  • Transferred to another court1

Prevailing party, by case

  • Applicant3
  • Each side in part2
  • Neither side1

Months from the application to the suit

48.7 months at the median; half fall between 33.2 and 72.5. 6 cases state it.

3 of these are section 1447(b) naturalization suits, whose months run from the application; the statute's 120 days run from the interview, which these figures do not measure.

Months from the application to the court's decision

55.1 months at the median; half fall between 29.8 and 78.6. 5 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 application2
  • Naturalization hearing or remand (1447(b))3
  • Some other action1

Agency, by case

  • USCIS6

Form or filing, by case

  • N-400 (naturalization)3
  • I-130 (relative petition)1
  • I-485 (adjustment of status)1
  • I-730 (refugee or asylee relative petition)1

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.

DecisionDecided1. Rule of reason2. Congressional timetable3. Human health and welfare4. Competing priorities5. Interests prejudiced6. No impropriety neededDisposition
Al-Rifahe v. Mayorkas March 7, 2011 favors the applicantfavors the applicantfavors the applicantfavors the governmentfavors the applicantneutral Dismissed in part; some claims go on

Every decision, by case

All 6 of the judge's decisions in the group, in 6 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).

DecisionDecidedAgencyFormDispositionPrevailing party
Adegbesote v. Swanson November 26, 2024 USCIS N-400 Remanded to the agency Applicant
Mohamed v. Jaddou February 7, 2024 USCIS I-730 Denied in the applicant's favor Applicant
Adegbesote v. Tritten January 18, 2023 USCIS N-400 Remanded to the agency Applicant
Giombetti v. Wolf May 11, 2020 USCIS I-130 Dismissed in part; some claims go on Each side in part
Al-Rifahe v. Mayorkas March 7, 2011 USCIS I-485 Dismissed in part; some claims go on Each side in part
Hong Yin v. Frazier February 22, 2010 USCIS N-400 Transferred to another court Neither side

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.

16suits in the docket record
16have ended
0still pending
129.5median 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.11
  • Remanded to the agencySent back to the agency, usually a naturalization case under section 1447(b).3
  • 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.1
  • Ended, outcome not recordedThe record shows the suit ended but not how.1

Days from the suit's filing to its end

129.5 days at the median; half fall between 70.8 and 275.5. 16 dockets state it.

Days from the suit's filing to its end, when it ended once the agency acted

90 days at the median; half fall between 63.5 and 167.5. 11 dockets state it.

7 of these suits have a written decision in the group.