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 Ellen Karesh earned a Bachelor of Science in 1990 from the University of South Carolina and a Juris Doctor in 1993 from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Before her appointment as a Unit Chief Immigration Judge, she served as a Berkeley County Summary Court Judge in South Carolina (1995-2021) and worked in private practice in Goose Creek, South Carolina (1994-2004).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
589
Completions per year
3,533 total
36.5%
Detained at decision
share of cases
16.9 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
14.7%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
13.4%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
22%
Appeals remanded or reversed
82 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.
32.7%
Bond requests granted
496 bond decisions High confidence
$5,000
Median bond when set
148 bonds with amounts
4.9%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 32.7%
Court average 100% · median $10,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
13%
524 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.8%
902 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
14.8%
61 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
33.3%⚠
9 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
81.8%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
83.6%
280 decisions High confidence
13%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 524 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
13%
This court
12.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 26% 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 · 422 decisions since 2021
15.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 102 decisions since 2021
2.9%
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).