Source: EOIR — Find an Immigration Court.
Recording an internet-based hearing is prohibited (8 C.F.R. § 1003.28). Respondents without a representative default to in-person hearings.
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Brian Sardelli earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and a Juris Doctor in 2000 from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. Before his appointment, he was in private practice (2017-2019), served as a trial attorney in the Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section of the Department of Justice (2012-2017), as an assistant U.S. attorney in the Southern District of Texas and District of Arizona (2006-2012), and as an Army judge advocate with the First Infantry Division (2001-2005). He is a member of the Minnesota State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
2,239
Completions per year
13,434 total
2.2%
Detained at decision
share of cases
20.3 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
39%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
6.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
11.7%
Appeals remanded or reversed
111 appeals decided
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
22.2%⚠
Bond requests granted
36 bond decisions Too few cases
$1,500
Median bond when set
9 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 22.2%
Court average 39.1% · median $5,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
9.9%
1,101 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.7%
1,873 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
22.4%
67 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
63%⚠
27 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
71.4%⚠
42 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
85.1%
404 decisions High confidence
9.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,101 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
9.9%
This court
16.7%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 18% of the 825 judges nationally with enough cases to compare.
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyerrepresented · 779 decisions since 2021
13.7%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 322 decisions since 2021
0.6%
Asylum grant rate over time
Each point is that calendar year's grant rate, back to 2015 where the judge was deciding cases — the longer career view. Dashed grey line = current national average (31.8%). Headline rates above use 2021 – today.
* 2026 is a partial year (data through 06/01/2026) and is incomplete.
Courts where this judge has decided cases
Hearing locations for cases this judge completed since 2021, by number of decisions.
Many judges hear cases from more than one court (detained facilities, video dockets, or reassignments).