The Honorable Immigration Judge John J. Zachary was appointed as an immigration judge to begin hearing cases in August 2026. Judge Zachary earned a Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, in 1993 from Louisiana Tech University and a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1996 from the University of Texas School of Law. From April 2016 to August 2026, Judge Zachary served as an assistant chief counsel with the Office of the Principal Legal Advisor, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, in Oakdale, Louisiana. From September 2013 to April 2016, and previously from August 1996 to May 2005, Judge Zachary was in private practice. From May 2005 to September 2013, Judge Zachary served as in-house tribal counsel for the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana in Elton, Louisiana. Judge Zachary is a member of the Louisiana State Bar.