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 Michelle Araneta earned a Bachelor of Science in 1975 from Arizona State University, a Master of Special Education in 1984 from the University of Arizona, and a Juris Doctor in 1989 from California Western School of Law in San Diego. She served as a judicial law clerk from 1989 to 1991 and worked as a prosecutor in Arizona and California from 1995 to 2019, following earlier work in tax and bankruptcy law. Judge Araneta is a member of the Arizona and California bars.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,826
Completions per year
10,958 total
0.6%
Detained at decision
share of cases
24.7 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
17.4%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
3%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
2.1%
Appeals remanded or reversed
47 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.
37.5%⚠
Bond requests granted
8 bond decisions Too few cases
$7,500
Median bond when set
3 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 37.5%
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
17.5%
263 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
3.8%
477 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
62.5%⚠
32 decisions Too few cases
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
94.7%⚠
19 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
96.1%
51 decisions Moderate
Voluntary departure
100%
80 decisions Moderate
17.5%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 263 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
17.5%
This court
20.2%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the bottom 35% 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 · 230 decisions since 2021
18.7%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 33 decisions since 2021
9.1%
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).