Appointed November 2018 · President Donald Trump→ Attorney General Jeff Sessions
7 years on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Republican administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Sarah M. Ellison earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2006 from the University of Mary Washington and a Juris Doctor in 2009 from St. Mary's University School of Law. She served as an assistant chief counsel with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Pearsall, Texas (2017-2018), an assistant U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Texas in Laredo (2014-2017), and an assistant district attorney in Bexar County, San Antonio (2010-2014). She began her career as an associate attorney at the Law Office of Steven C. Benke in San Antonio (2009-2010). She is a member of the State Bar of Texas.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
1,977
Completions per year
11,863 total
8.3%
Detained at decision
share of cases
38 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
30%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
1.9%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
0%
Appeals remanded or reversed
35 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.
26.1%⚠
Bond requests granted
46 bond decisions Too few cases
$7,500
Median bond when set
17 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 26.1%
Court average 24% · median $10,000
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
35.9%
398 decisions High confidence
Withholding / CAT
6%
452 decisions High confidence
Cancellation — 42B (non-LPR)
12.6%
87 decisions Moderate
Cancellation — 42A (LPR)
40%⚠
5 decisions Too few cases
Adjustment of status (245)
84.2%⚠
38 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
78.2%
101 decisions Moderate
35.9%
of asylum claims granted on the merits High confidence
Based on 398 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021.
This judge
35.9%
This court
14.1%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
In the top 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 · 335 decisions since 2021
39.4%
Without a lawyerunrepresented · 63 decisions since 2021
17.5%
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).