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 Siemietkowski earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1984 from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctor in 1987 from Catholic University, and a Master of Laws in 2000 from the Army Judge Advocate General's School. From 2002 to 2019, he served as a trial attorney in the Commercial Litigation Branch of the U.S. Department of Justice, and served as U.S. deputy justice attache to Afghanistan (2018); he also completed a nearly 30-year U.S. Army JAG career as a prosecutor, defense counsel, and trial judge, retiring in 2018.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,117
Completions per year
6,703 total
3.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
19.4 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
29.5%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
9.8%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
5.6%
Appeals remanded or reversed
71 appeals decided
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
28.7%
1,031 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.4%
1,317 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
32.1%⚠
28 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
42.9%⚠
7 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
95%⚠
20 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
97.9%⚠
48 decisions Too few cases
28.7%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 1,031 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
28.7%
This court
57.3%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 47% 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 · 945 decisions since 2021
29.8%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 86 decisions since 2021
16.3%
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).