EOIR Announces Investiture of Nine New Immigration Judges

On February 1, 2016, the Department of Justice's (DOJ's) Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the investiture of nine new immigration judges [EOIR news release]. The new immigration judges were appointed by U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch.

Acting Chief Immigration Judge Print Maggard, who presided over the investiture during a ceremony held on January 29, 2016, stated that the new immigration judges would help decrease EOIR's pending caseload. Furthermore, she noted that with the nine new immigration judges, the immigration judge corps will now number 254.

The following is the list of new immigration judges:

Xiomara David-Gumbs (Dallas Immigration Court)
Jennifer M. Gorland (Detroit Immigration Court)
Denice C. Hochul (Buffalo Immigration Court)
Mark J. Jebson (Detroit Immigration Court)
Margaret M. Kolbe (New York Immigration Court)
Ramin Rastegar (Newark Immigration Court)
Shifra Rubin (Newark Immigration Court)
Meredith B. Tryakoski (San Antonio Immigration Court)
Daniel H. Weiss (Dallas Immigration Court)

Given the substantial immigration caseload around the country, sitting immigration judges, attorneys, and immigrants all stand to benefit from the appointment of qualified immigration judges. To that effect, Acting Chief Immigration Judge Maggard stated that “we will continue adding to [the number of immigration judges] throughout this year to further enhance EOIR's capacity to meet the tremendous challenges we face.”