EOIR Immigration Judge
EOIR resources / Immigration judges / Brandon Alexander “Alex” Kennedy
Judge Brandon Alexander “Alex” Kennedy
Cleveland Immigration Court · Cleveland, Ohio · Immigration Judge
Court Assignment
Cleveland Immigration Court in Cleveland, Ohio is this judge's listed court assignment and serves cases associated with Ohio. EOIR venue and transfer rules determine where an individual case is heard, so respondents should follow the location on their latest notice.
Immigration Judge Role and Case Types
Immigration judges are trial-level adjudicators who preside over removal proceedings. They decide whether a respondent is removable and consider applications for relief such as asylum, withholding of removal, protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT), and cancellation of removal. They also hear bond matters when the court has jurisdiction. EOIR does not publish individual immigration judge decision statistics in the same way the Social Security Administration publishes Administrative Law Judge disposition statistics.
Professional Role
Immigration Court Brandon Alexander “Alex” Kennedy was appointed as a temporary immigration judge to begin hearing cases in April 2026. Judge Kennedy earned a Bachelor of Science in 2012 from Liberty University and a Juris Doctor in 2015 from Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law. From May 2023 to March 2026, he served as the assistant chief of the criminal justice section at the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio. From June 2021 to April 2023, he served as the senior special victim counsel for the Pacific Region in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. From July 2020 to June 2021, he served as an administrative law attorney and magistrate for the 25th Infantry Division in Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. From June 2019 to July 2020, he served as a trial counsel/military justice advisor for the 2nd Infantry Division in Camp Humphreys, Korea. From August 2015 to July 2018, he served as an assistant attorney general of Ohio in the criminal justice section of the Office of the Attorney General of Ohio in Columbus, Ohio. He holds the rank of major in the U.S. Army Reserve. Judge Kennedy is a member of the Ohio State Bar, the Southern and Northern Districts of Ohio, and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Immigration judges are attorneys appointed by the Attorney General. EOIR's published qualifications call for at least seven years of post-bar-admission legal experience. Judges serve as trial-level adjudicators in the immigration court system; they are not attorneys for either side.
Immigration Process and Respondent Resources
This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules, court procedures, and enforcement policies can change. Deadlines and options depend on your case and the notices you received. Talk with a qualified immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative about your situation.