Appointed November 2024 · President Joe Biden→ Attorney General Merrick Garland
1 year on the immigration bench
Appointed under a Democratic administration
Background
The Honorable Immigration Judge Sergio F. Sarkany earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1996 from the University of California, Berkeley, a Master of Philosophy in criminology in 1998 from the University of Cambridge, and a Juris Doctor in 2002 from the University of San Francisco School of Law. From 2015 to 2024, he served as an appellate and trial attorney with the Office of Immigration Litigation. He earlier worked as counsel to U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham from 2011 to 2014 and as a judge advocate in the U.S. Navy from 2002 to 2011.
Caseload & process (since 2021)
146
Completions per year
291 total
38.1%
Detained at decision
share of cases
0.5 mo
Median time to decision
from case start
0%
Ordered removed in absentia
person absent
0.7%
Decisions appealed to BIA
appeal rate
—
Appeals remanded or reversed
only 1 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.
50%⚠
Bond requests granted
4 bond decisions Too few cases
$4,500
Median bond when set
2 bonds with amounts
0%
Released on own recognizance
This judge 50%
Court average 87% · median $3,500
National 41.9% · median $6,500
Grant rates by type of relief
Share granted among merits decisions for each application type, since 2021.
Asylum
25%⚠
8 decisions Too few cases
Withholding / CAT
30%⚠
10 decisions Too few cases
Voluntary departure
100%⚠
1 decision Too few cases
25%⚠
of asylum claims granted on the merits
Based on 8 asylum decisions (grants + denials) since 2021. Fewer than 50 — treat this figure with caution.
This judge
25%
This court
40.9%
National average
31.8%
0%100% granted
Does a lawyer matter here?
Asylum grant rate by whether the person had legal representation.
With a lawyer⚠represented · 4 decisions since 2021
50%
Without a lawyer⚠unrepresented · 4 decisions since 2021
0%
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.
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).