Luisa Santiago

Judge profile

This profile is summarized from public sources for background context only. It is not an ImmJudge evaluation.

Luisa Santiago was appointed as a Unit Chief Immigration Judge to begin supervisory immigration court duties and hearing cases in December 2021. Judge Santiago earned a Bachelor of Science in 1991 from Cornell University, a Juris Doctorate in 2001 from American University Washington College of Law, a Master of Laws in 2005 from the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School, and a Master of Business Administration in 2021 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School. In December 2020, she retired from the U.S. Army after serving 30 years of active and reserve military service. From 2011 to 2020, she served as a U.S. Army Judge Advocate Supervisor and Senior Legal Advisor with a specialization in Administrative/Civil and Criminal Law, in the following locations: Bagram, Afghanistan; Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; U.S. Embassy Baghdad, Iraq; and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. From 2008 to 2011, she served as an Assistant Chief Counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Miami. From 1991 to 2007, she served in the U.S. Army in a variety of leadership and supervisory positions, which included Criminal Prosecutor and Senior Operational Legal Advisor, in the following locations: Heidelberg, Germany; Arlington, Virginia; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Fort Meade, Maryland; and Afghanistan. Judge Santiago is a member of the Minnesota State Bar and North Carolina Bar.