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 Colin Johnson earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1998 from Hamline University and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from Hamline University School of Law. Before his appointment, he served as an assistant chief counsel in the Office of Chief Counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, at Fort Snelling, Minnesota (2007-2020), as a special assistant U.S. attorney in the District of Minnesota (2010-2012), and as a judge advocate for the 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas (2001-2007), including a deployment to Iraq (2003-2004).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,966
Completions per year
11,799 total
11.3%
Detained at decision
share of cases
29.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
29.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3.4%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
11.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
88 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.
30.3%
Bond requests granted
231 bond decisions High confidence
$7,500
Median bond when set
53 bonds with amounts
40%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 30.3%
Court average 11.2% · median $7,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
12.5%
503 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.2%
869 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
9.2%
141 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
58.8%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
82.9%⚠
41 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
77.4%
742 decisions High confidence
12.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 503 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
12.5%
This court
14.4%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 25% 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 · 388 decisions since 2021
15.7%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 115 decisions since 2021
1.7%
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).