U.S. Department of Justice

Executive Office for Immigration Review

Office of the Director

5107 Leesburg Pike, Suite 2400

Falls Church, Virginia 22041

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Fran Mooney, Public Affairs Officer, (703)305-0289

Susan Eastwood, Public Affairs Assistant,

(703) 305-1188,Ext 376/Fax: (703) 605-0365

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July 25, 1997

IMMIGRATION JUDGE TAKES OATH OF OFFICE

IN HONOLULU, HAWAII

HONOLULU, HI -- Michael J. Creppy, Chief Immigration Judge, will give the oath of office today to a new Immigration Judge in an investiture ceremony at 4:00 p.m. in the United States Courthouse, 300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Fourth Floor, Honolulu, Hawaii. Dayna Dias joins the ranks of over 200 Immigration Court Judges located in more than 40 Immigration Courts throughout the nation.

Immigration Judges are responsible for conducting formal administrative proceedings, and act independently in their decision-making capacity. Immigration Judges preside over more than 250,000 formal, judicial removal proceedings each year. These decisions are administratively final unless appealed or certified to the Board of Immigration Appeals. In addition to determining whether individuals are admissible or removable, Immigration Judges have jurisdiction to consider applications for various forms of relief from removal. These include applications for such relief as asylum, adjustment of status, cancellation of removal, waivers of inadmissibility, and custody/bond redeterminations. Immigration Judges are also authorized to administer oaths of citizenship to naturalization applicants.

Judge Dias was appointed Immigration Judge in April 1997. Her jurisdiction covers Hawaii and Guam. Born in Hawaii, Judge Dias is a graduate of Castle High School. Judge Dias received her B.A. in 1977 from the University of Hawaii, and her J.D. from the University of Hawaii, Richardson School of Law, in 1980. She served as Assistant District Counsel in the Honolulu District Office, Immigration and Naturalization Service, from 1987 to 1997. Judge Dias served as a Deputy Attorney General in the Criminal Justice and Labor and Industrial Relations Divisions for the Department of the Attorney General, State of Hawaii, from 1983 to 1987. Prior to this, she was in private practice. Judge Dias is a member of the Hawaii Bar.

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