H.R. No. 1918 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, On December 16, 2014, Sarah R. Saldaña of Dallas won confirmation from the U.S. Senate as assistant secretary in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the Department of Homeland Security, and this impressive milestone in her career is a fitting occasion to commend her for her many achievements; and WHEREAS, A native of Corpus Christi, Ms. Saldaña earned her bachelor's degree summa cum laude from Texas A&I University; after working as an eighth-grade language arts teacher in Dallas schools, she went on to work for the U.S. Department of Labor and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, as well as for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, before earning her law degree from Southern Methodist University's Dedman School of Law in 1984; and WHEREAS, Ms. Saldaña began her legal career as a law clerk to the Honorable Barefoot Sanders of the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Texas, then moved into private practice at Haynes & Boone LLP and Baker Botts LLP; during those years, she also taught legal writing and research at the Dedman School of Law; and WHEREAS, In 2004, Ms. Saldaña entered public service as an assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, prosecuting cases in bank and mortgage fraud, civil rights, human trafficking, and public corruption; in 2009, she became deputy criminal chief of the Northern District, where she managed the major fraud and public corruption section; and WHEREAS, Two years later, this outstanding prosecutor was nominated by President Barack Obama to be the United States attorney for the Northern District of Texas, and she started in September 2011, becoming the first Latina chief federal prosecutor in Texas; in her new position with the Department of Homeland Security, she will likewise be the first Hispanic woman to lead ICE; and WHEREAS, Ms. Saldaña is a member of the William "Mac" Taylor American Inn of Court, the Dallas and Texas Bar Foundations, and the Dallas Bar Association; her extensive community service includes membership on the board of the Dallas Center for Contemporary Art and the City of Dallas Zoning Board of Adjustment, and her many awards include recognition as the Latina Attorney of the Year by the Hispanic National Bar Association in 2011; and WHEREAS, Sarah Saldaña's intelligence, expertise, and commitment to the law have greatly benefited the citizens of Texas and earned her the deep and lasting respect of her peers, and she may indeed reflect with pride on all that she has accomplished as she takes on the challenges and opportunities of her important new position; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby congratulate Sarah R. Saldaña on her confirmation as assistant secretary in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Department of Homeland Security and extend to her sincere best wishes for success in her new position; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for Ms. Saldaña as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Herrero ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 1918 was adopted by the House on May 7, 2015, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House