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 Jesus Juan Ybarra earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2005 from the University of Texas at Austin, a Master of Arts in 2007 from the University of Texas at San Antonio, and a Juris Doctor in 2014 from the University of Texas School of Law. In 2025 he served as an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in Laredo, Texas, and from December 2024 to February 2025 he served as an immigration judge at the Laredo Immigration Court. From 2018 to 2024 he was an assistant chief counsel with ICE in Pearsall, Texas, from 2015 to 2018 a general attorney with U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Laredo, and in 2014-2015 an attorney advisor at the San Antonio Immigration Court. Earlier he served on active duty in the U.S. Army as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crew chief and flight instructor. He is a member of the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
284
Completions per year
852 total
61.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
13.8 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
30.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
8%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 8 appeals — too few
Bond decisions
Custody redetermination (bond) rulings since 2021.
"Granted" means the judge lowered the bond, ordered release on recognizance, or otherwise granted the request.
44.3%
Bond requests granted
158 bond decisions Moderate
$9,000
Median bond when set
60 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 44.3%
Court average 43% · 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
2.2%⚠
45 decisions Too few cases
Withholding / CAT
0%
89 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
8.7%⚠
23 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
50%⚠
2 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
0%⚠
4 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
75.4%
134 decisions Moderate
2.2%⚠
of asylum claims granted on the merits
Based on 45 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021. Fewer than 50 — treat this figure with caution.
This judge
2.2%
This court
22.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyer⚠represented · 34 decisions since 2021
0%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 11 decisions since 2021
9.1%
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).