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 Michael A Lewis earned a Bachelor of Science in 1992 from Bentley College and a Juris Doctor in 1995 from Boston College Law School. From 1995 to 2022, he served as an attorney, trial judge, and appellate judge with the U.S. Air Force at numerous locations in the United States and abroad. In 2022, he retired as a colonel, having last served as an appellate judge on the U.S. Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
730
Completions per year
4,377 total
5.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
22.1 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
25.6%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
10.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 18 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.
65.2%
Bond requests granted
115 bond decisions Moderate
$9,000
Median bond when set
73 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 65.2%
Court average 42.9% · median $7,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
26.1%
606 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
2.5%
846 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
17.6%⚠
34 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
75%⚠
4 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
81.8%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
78.3%
189 decisions Moderate
26.1%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 606 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
26.1%
This court
32.6%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 50% 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 · 515 decisions since 2021
30.3%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 91 decisions since 2021
2.2%
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).