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 Jeremy Santoro earned a Bachelor of Science in 1996 from Bowling Green State University and a Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Toledo College of Law. From 2010 to 2019, he served as an assistant chief counsel for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Cleveland, and from 2009 to 2010 in Detroit. He served as a judge advocate for the Ohio Army National Guard (2006-2015), as an assistant prosecutor with the Lucas County Prosecutor's Office in Toledo (2002-2009), and as an associate attorney with Faulkner, Garmhausen, Keister & Shenk L.P.A. (2001-2002). He is a member of the Ohio State Bar.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,127
Completions per year
6,762 total
6.9%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22.1 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
32.5%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
7.2%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
75.4%
Appeals remanded or reversed
191 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.
33.1%
Bond requests granted
160 bond decisions Moderate
$10,000
Median bond when set
52 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 33.1%
Court average 37.1% · 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
16.8%
334 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.2%
594 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
17.9%⚠
28 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
87.5%⚠
32 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
95%
202 decisions High confidence
16.8%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 334 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
16.8%
This court
19.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 35% 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 · 302 decisions since 2021
17.9%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 32 decisions since 2021
6.2%
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).