June 1, 2007 http://www.usdoj.gov/eoir/press/subject.htm

Immigration Judge Takes Oath of Office
in Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - Mimi E. Tsankov was sworn in today as an immigration judge for the Los Angeles Immigration Court during an investiture ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Assistant Chief Immigration Judge Thomas Y.K. Fong, from the Los Angeles Immigration Court administered the oath of office.

Judge Tsankov joins the ranks of more than 200 immigration judges located in 54 immigration courts throughout the nation. Immigration judges are responsible for conducting formal administrative proceedings to determine whether foreign-born individuals who are charged with violations of federal immigration law should be removed from the United States or may be granted relief from removal. Immigration judges decide each case independently and their decisions are final unless appealed or certified to the Board of Immigration Appeals. In the past year, immigration judges completed more than 300,000 matters. They also are authorized to administer oaths of citizenship to candidates for naturalization.

Mimi E. Tsankov was appointed as an immigration judge in November 2006. She received a bachelor of arts degree in 1986 from James Madison University; a master of arts degree in 1990 from the University of Virginia, Woodrow Wilson Department of Politics; and a juris doctorate in 1990 from the University of Virginia School of Law. From June 2001 to November 2006, Judge Tsankov was in private practice in San Diego and Los Angeles. From July 1998 to October 1999, she worked in the private sector. Judge Tsankov served as an assistant district counsel for the former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) in New York from September 1995 to July 1998. During this time, from February 1997 to February 1998, she served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York. Judge Tsankov was an asylum officer with the INS in New York from November 1994 to September 1995. She served as an attorney advisor with the Peace Corps, Office of Inspector General, in Washington, D.C., from May 1992 to November 1994. From October 1990 to April 1992, Judge Tsankov was in private practice in Washington, D.C. She is a member of the Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, and New York bars.