What is Judge Jose Rivera-Ortiz's background?
EOIR's notice says that Jose Rivera-Ortiz was appointed in June 2020. Judge Rivera-Ortiz earned a Bachelor of Science in 1995 from Purdue University Fort Wayne and a Juris Doctor in 1999 from the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law. From 2017 to 2020, he served as an assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), Office of the Principal Legal Advisor (OPLA), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in Miami, where he co-led the Homeland Security Investigations Embedded Attorneys Program. From 2007 to 2017, he served as an assistant chief counsel, OCC, OPLA, ICE, DHS, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. From 2001 to 2007 he served as an attorney advisor with the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of Justice, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. From 2000 to 2001, he served as an assistant to the deputy secretary of the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
What the official record establishes
The source lists the name Jose Rivera-Ortiz in 1 alphabetical row. The recorded title is Immigration Judge. The record is not an appointment history or an employment certification.
Dated court associations
EOIR’s court-specific tables associate this entry with Miami Immigration Court. The relationship is recorded as listed 2026-10-20; it may include supervisory coverage rather than a merits-hearing assignment.
No outcome or personal-profile claims
This entry does not provide an asylum approval rate, predict a decision, or claim personal background not established by the cited source. Confirm the assigned judge and attendance details from your notice and the court. A change of judge does not by itself change deadlines or excuse attendance.