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 Jose L. Penalosa Jr. earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1986 from UCLA and a Juris Doctor in 1989 from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law. Before his appointment, he was a solo practitioner at Penalosa & Associates P.C. (1993-2017) and earlier an attorney with Friendly House Inc. in Phoenix (1991-1993).
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,722
Completions per year
10,334 total
14.4%
Detained at decision
share of cases
1 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
7.2%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
22%
Appeals remanded or reversed
41 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.
29.2%
Bond requests granted
1,536 bond decisions High confidence
$4,000
Median bond when set
411 bonds with amounts
5.8%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 29.2%
Court average 26.4% · median $7,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
9.4%
448 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
1.7%
826 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
5.9%⚠
17 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
100%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
66.7%⚠
3 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
54.3%
129 decisions Moderate
9.4%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 448 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
9.4%
This court
17.8%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 17% 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 · 408 decisions since 2021
10%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 40 decisions since 2021
2.5%
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).