# Stephen Ruhle Immigration Judge · [El Paso SPC Immigration Court](/kyj/court/tx/el-paso-spc-immigration-court) Last updated October 25, 2026 ## Stephen Ruhle at a glance Current role Immigration Judge Court [El Paso SPC Immigration Court](/kyj/court/tx/el-paso-spc-immigration-court) Current assignment [El Paso SPC Immigration Court](/kyj/court/tx/el-paso-spc-immigration-court) Jurisdiction Texas · Federal Judicial service Active Historical EOIR data ## Outcomes at a glance Total outcomes 12,275 Relief granted 430 3.5% Denied / removal ordered 8,806 71.7% Other / procedural 3,039 24.8% National comparison for this selection: 9,249,024 outcomes; 10.0% relief granted; 52.0% denied / removal ordered; 38.0% other / procedural. Methodology and sources These are proceeding outcomes, not asylum application statistics. Completion years use EOIR COMP_DATE; 2026 contains partial-year data. Relief granted, denied / removal ordered and other / procedural exhaust the recorded outcomes. Groups of one are included. Historical outcomes do not establish a current assignment. Counts describe recorded cases and do not predict an individual's result. [Official EOIR case data](https://fileshare.eoir.justice.gov/EOIR%20Case%20Data.zip) · Source date: Tue, 01 Sep 2026 14:14:27 GMT Asylum decisions and other statistics ## Analytics Published EOIR records include 926 asylum outcomes associated with this judge. Asylum was granted in 140 (15.1%) and denied in 642 (69.3%); 144 were other or procedural outcomes. [Explore analytics](#analytics) ## Biography ### Professional career - Stephen M. Ruhle is a long-serving immigration judge with a strong background in immigration law and military legal service, licensed in multiple states, and appointed to the El Paso immigration court in 2008 - Before his judicial appointment, he held the role of deputy chief counsel and assistant chief counsel at the Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security, in El Paso, Texas, from 1997 to 2008. - He is licensed to practice law in New York, Florida, and Colorado ### Education - Albany Law School — J.D. (1993) - B.A. — State University of New York at Albany (1990) ### Additional information - Additionally, he served in the U.S. Navy as a staff judge advocate and judge advocate from 1994 to 1997 and has been a member of the U.S. Army Reserve as a judge advocate since 1998. - Appointed as an immigration judge in March 2008 and presides at the El Paso Service Processing Center. - Judge Ruhle has received mixed evaluations. - Some sources describe him as fair, patient, and knowledgeable, noting that he listens to both sides and assists respondents in understanding proceedings. - It is important to note that official EOIR statistics and case records provide objective data on his rulings, but individual experiences may vary. - While he has received both positive and critical assessments, his official record reflects extensive experience in adjudicating immigration cases and participating in the federal immigration judicial system. - Other sources have criticized him, alleging bias and political influence in his appointment, though these claims are not officially substantiated and reflect individual opinions. - Publicly available records indicate that he has handled hundreds of asylum cases, with his decisions reviewed by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) on appeal. ## Sources Identity source checked August 19, 2026 . Biography sources checked October 10, 2026 . ### DOJ EOIR current immigration judge directory Identity source · HTML · Source checked August 19, 2026 ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.1 - Delivery and Receipt Courtwide source · HTML · Source checked July 30, 2026 ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 2.3 - Documents ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.10 - Interpreters ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.11 - Courtroom Decorum ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.12 - Electronic Devices ### EOIR Policy Manual, Part II, Chapter 3.15 - Individual Calendar Hearing ### Find an Immigration Court and Access Internet-Based Hearings ### Find an Immigration Court and Access Internet-Based Hearings Judge Specific source · HTML · Source checked September 15, 2026 ### Current EOIR official staff directory Current EOIR Official Staff Directory source · HTML · Source checked October 7, 2026 [Public Records & Data Use](/public-records-data-use) · [Corrections policy](/corrections) ## Published courtroom rules ### Shared court rules - [EOIR Practice Manual 2.1 — Delivery and Receipt](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-c9195b4f0bba01a19aa8df41) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-1). Collected 2026-10-27. - [EOIR Practice Manual 3.11 — Courtroom Decorum](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-8d8e8e8bf80478864645291a) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-3-11). Collected 2026-10-27. - [EOIR Practice Manual 2.3 — Documents](https://knowjudges.com/courtroom-rules/national-shared-set-53ee093be24c18a5d1a93046) — Immigration Court proceedings only, not BIA or OCAHO. Preserve chapter-specific proceeding limits. Section-specific exceptions, waivers, later amendments and case orders remain applicable. This is a source excerpt, not an exhaustive statement of the rule. [Official source](https://www.justice.gov/eoir/policy-manual-eoir/part-II/icpm/chapter-2-3). Collected 2026-10-27.