Appointed May 2023 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
3 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Jami Vigil earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1995 from Metropolitan State University of Denver, a Juris Doctor in 2002 from the University of Colorado School of Law, a Master of Arts in 2010 from the University of Colorado, a Master of Public Health in 2016 from the University of Illinois-Springfield, and a Master of Science in 2016 from the University of Florida. From 2002 to 2010 she provided court-appointed representation for indigent individuals in criminal, juvenile, and probate matters, as well as immigration representation for families, and from 2011 to 2023 she served as a magistrate judge in Colorado's 4th Judicial District. She is a member of the Colorado Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
574
Completions per year
3,441 total
55.2%
Detained at decision
share of cases
0.2 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
3.5%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
0.6%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 4 appeals — too few
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
88.3%
188 decisions Moderate
Withholding / CAT
14.9%⚠
47 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
100%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
100%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
6 decisions Too few cases
88.3%
of asylum claims granted on the merits Moderate
Based on 188 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
88.3%
This court
68.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 2% 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 · 184 decisions since 2021
89.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 4 decisions since 2021
25%
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).