February 13, 2009
EOIR Swears In Three Immigration Judges
New Judges To Serve In
Cleveland, Kansas City, and Miami Immigration Courts
FALLS CHURCH, Va. – The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) announced that three immigration judges were sworn in today during an investiture ceremony at EOIR Headquarters in Falls Church, Va.
Acting Chief Immigration Judge Thomas Snow administered the oath of office to Thomas W. Janas, Cleveland Immigration Court; John R. O’Malley, Kansas City Immigration Court; and Rene D. Mateo, Miami Immigration Court.
The judges were appointed by the Attorney General after completing a rigorous application, evaluation, and interview process. They join the ranks of more than 220 immigration judges located in more than 50 immigration courts nationwide.
Immigration judges conduct administrative courtroom proceedings. They determine whether foreign-born individuals –– who are charged by the Department of Homeland Security with violating immigration law –– should be ordered removed from the United States or may be granted relief from removal and permitted to remain in this country. Immigration judges decide cases based on U.S. immigration law and on a case-by-case basis. Their decisions are final unless appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. In Fiscal Year 2007, immigration judges completed more than 270,000 proceedings.
Biographical information for the new immigration judges follows.
Cleveland Immigration Court
Thomas W. Janas, Immigration Judge
Judge Janas was appointed as an immigration judge in January 2009. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1973 from Baldwin-Wallace College and a juris doctorate in 1976 from the University of Toledo, College of Law. From September 2007 to October 2008 and 1976 to 1980, Judge Janas was in private practice. From November 1993 to December 2006, he served as a common pleas judge for the State of Ohio. From January 1981 to November 1993, Judge Janas worked as a chief assistant prosecutor for the Lorain County Prosecutor’s Office. He is a member of the Ohio Bar.
Kansas City Immigration Court
John R. O’Malley, Immigration Judge
Judge O’Malley was appointed as an immigration judge in January 2009. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1970 and a juris doctorate in 1973, both from St. Louis University. From April 1989 to January 2009, Judge O’Malley served as a circuit judge for the 16th Judicial Circuit of Missouri. From December 1981 to April 2008, he also served in the U.S. Army Reserve. Judge O’Malley is a member of the Missouri Bar.
Miami Immigration Court
Rene D. Mateo, Immigration Judge
Judge Mateo was appointed as an immigration judge in January 2009. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1980 and a master of public administration degree in 1985, both from Florida International University, and a juris doctorate in 1988 from the University of Miami School of Law. From 2003 to January 2009, Judge Mateo served as deputy chief counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security. From 1998 to 2003, he served as acting deputy and deputy district counsel with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). From 1995 to 1997, Judge Mateo worked as an assistant U.S. attorney at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. From 1989 to 1995, Judge Mateo served as assistant district counsel with the former INS, entering through the Attorney General’s Honor Program. He is a member of the Florida and District of Columbia bars.
–– EOIR ––
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is an agency within the Department of Justice. Under delegated authority from the Attorney General, immigration judges and the Board of Immigration Appeals interpret and adjudicate immigration cases according to United States immigration laws. EOIR’s immigration judges conduct administrative court proceedings in immigration courts located throughout the nation. They determine whether foreign-born individuals—who are charged by the Department of Homeland Security with violating immigration law—should be ordered removed from the United States or should be granted relief from removal and be permitted to remain in this country. The Board of Immigration Appeals primarily reviews appeals of decisions by immigration judges. EOIR’s Office of the Chief Administrative Hearing Officer adjudicates immigration-related employment cases. EOIR is committed to ensuring fairness in all of the cases it adjudicates.
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