Three New Appellate Immigration Judges Appointed to BIA (Aug. 11, 2020)

On August 7, 2020, the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced the appointment of three appellate immigration judges to the Board of Immigration Appeals [PDF version]. Each of the three new appellate immigration judges was appointed by Attorney General William P. Barr. The appointments are significant in that the BIA is the highest administrative review body [link] for interpreting and applying the immigration laws. In this post, we will examine the resumes of the three new members of the BIA.

Michael P. Baird, Appellate Immigration Judge

2009-2020: Immigration judge on the Dallas Immigration Court (Texas) and later the Atlanta Immigration Court (Georgia).
2006-2009: Senior assistant district attorney in the Appalachian Judicial Circuit, in Georgia.
2004-2006: Judge in the Municipal Court of Jonesboro, Georgia.
1997-2004: Chief Judge for the Magistrate Court of Clayton County, Georgia.
1995-96; 92-93: Private Practice.
1993-1995: Senior assistant solicitor general at the Clayton County Solicitor's Office.
1986-1990: Police officer.
Obtained Juris Doctorate in 1992 from Georgia State University College of Law.

Sunita B. Mahtabfar, Appellate Immigration Judge

2013-2020: Immigration Judge on the El Paso Immigration Court (Texas).
2006-2013: Attorney in the Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security, in El Paso, Texas.
2003-2006: Asylum officer in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security.
Obtained Juris Doctorate from Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Sirce E. Owen, Appellate Immigration Judge

2019-2020: Acting deputy Director of EOIR.
2018-2020: Assistant Chief Immigration Judge, based in Atlanta.
2016-2018: Deputy chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Atlanta.
2008-2016: Assistant chief counsel, Office of Chief Counsel, Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Atlanta.
2005-2008: Private practice.
Obtained Juris Doctor in 2005 from Georgia State University.