Judge Burke was appointed as an immigration judge in November 2009. He received a bachelor of arts degree in 1985 from California State University, Fullerton, a master of arts degree in 1991 from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and a juris doctorate in 1995 from the University of Colorado Law School. From 2008 to November 2009, Judge Burke served as an associate general counsel, Office of the Chief Counsel, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS, in Dallas, Texas. From 2002 to 2008, Judge Burke worked as an assistant chief counsel, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), DHS, where he served as a special assistant U.S. attorney, in El Paso, Texas. From 1996 to 2002, he served as an assistant district counsel with the former INS in Los Angeles. Judge Burke is a member of the Colorado State Bar.