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 John S Rubenstein earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1999 from the University of Pennsylvania, a Juris Doctor in 2005 from the Georgetown University Law Center, and a Master of Arts in 2012 from California State University, Los Angeles. From 2019 to 2022, he served as an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in Harlingen, Texas. From 2015 to 2019, he served in various capacities with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and from 2005 to 2015 he practiced with law firms including Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson and Greenberg Traurig.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
859
Completions per year
5,156 total
4.3%
Detained at decision
share of cases
20 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
22%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
8.5%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 15 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.
0%⚠
Bond requests granted
2 bond decisions Too few cases
$15,000
Median bond when set
1 bonds with amounts
—
Released on own recognizance
This judge 0%
Court average 25.5% · median $10,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
32.2%
878 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
9%
1,058 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
10.5%⚠
19 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
87.5%⚠
24 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
91.7%
120 decisions Moderate
32.2%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 878 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
32.2%
This court
42%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 41% 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 · 751 decisions since 2021
37.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 127 decisions since 2021
2.4%
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).