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 G Walleisa earned a law degree from Temple University School of Law. From 1985 to 1989, he served as a state prosecutor in Dade County, Florida. From 2002 to 2018, he worked as an assistant U.S. attorney with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida in Miami, serving in the National Security Section. Judge Walleisa was appointed as an immigration judge in August 2018 and serves at the Miami Immigration Court.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,943
Completions per year
11,659 total
19.8%
Detained at decision
share of cases
16.9 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
9.2%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
4.1%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
4.5%
Appeals remanded or reversed
133 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.
30.5%
Bond requests granted
515 bond decisions High confidence
$5,000
Median bond when set
231 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 30.5%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
16%
530 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.1%
865 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
37.2%
94 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
54.5%⚠
11 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
65.6%
64 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
84.7%
588 decisions High confidence
16%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 530 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
16%
This court
20.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 33% 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 · 426 decisions since 2021
19%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 104 decisions since 2021
3.8%
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).