Full Name
Hon. Diana Saldaña
Job Title
U.S. District Judge
Court or Organization
Southern District of Texas
Speaker Bio
The Honorable Diana Saldaña serves as a United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas in Laredo. She was appointed to the position by President Barack Obama in February of 2011. Judge Saldaña received a unanimous vote of 94-0 during her judicial confirmation proceedings. On December 8, 2023, John G. Roberts, Jr., Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, appointed Judge Saldaña as a member of the Judicial Conference Committee on Criminal Law. Most recently, in November 2025, Chief Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, appointed Judge Saldaña to the Fifth Circuit Judicial Council’s Special Purpose Courts Committee.
Born and raised in Carrizo Springs, Texas, Judge Saldaña is the third of six children raised by her mother, Blanca Hernandez-Rodriguez. For much of her childhood, Judge Saldaña was a migrant student. Every summer, she would move from Texas to Minnesota and North Dakota to work the sugar beet, soybean, and potato fields alongside her mother and siblings. Judge Saldaña was the first person in her family to graduate from college, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1997, she received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.
Judge Saldaña strives to use her experience and position to mentor students of all ages and build a support network for the youth of Laredo. She hosts moot courts for local grade schools, counsels first-generation high schoolers with the college application process, accepts high school and college students from the local university as interns in her chambers, and coordinates internet safety and drug prevention programs at local schools. Most recently, in conjunction with the local bar association, she created a five-week summer fellowship program for first-generation students from each of the Laredo-area high schools. She has also led innovative programs that strengthen public understanding of the federal judiciary.
Judge Saldaña is also deeply committed to expanding access to justice and supporting the successful reintegration of individuals returning to their communities. Throughout her tenure, she has been a strong advocate for initiatives that support rehabilitation, civic empowerment, and successful re-entry. In every case before her, Judge Saldaña brings a deep personal commitment to ensuring that the federal courts remain accessible, equitable, and responsive to the people they serve.
Judge Saldaña is married to Roberto Carlos Arredondo, a sergeant with the Laredo Police Department. They are the proud parents of two sons and two daughters.
Born and raised in Carrizo Springs, Texas, Judge Saldaña is the third of six children raised by her mother, Blanca Hernandez-Rodriguez. For much of her childhood, Judge Saldaña was a migrant student. Every summer, she would move from Texas to Minnesota and North Dakota to work the sugar beet, soybean, and potato fields alongside her mother and siblings. Judge Saldaña was the first person in her family to graduate from college, receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Government from the University of Texas at Austin. In 1997, she received her law degree from the University of Texas School of Law.
Judge Saldaña strives to use her experience and position to mentor students of all ages and build a support network for the youth of Laredo. She hosts moot courts for local grade schools, counsels first-generation high schoolers with the college application process, accepts high school and college students from the local university as interns in her chambers, and coordinates internet safety and drug prevention programs at local schools. Most recently, in conjunction with the local bar association, she created a five-week summer fellowship program for first-generation students from each of the Laredo-area high schools. She has also led innovative programs that strengthen public understanding of the federal judiciary.
Judge Saldaña is also deeply committed to expanding access to justice and supporting the successful reintegration of individuals returning to their communities. Throughout her tenure, she has been a strong advocate for initiatives that support rehabilitation, civic empowerment, and successful re-entry. In every case before her, Judge Saldaña brings a deep personal commitment to ensuring that the federal courts remain accessible, equitable, and responsive to the people they serve.
Judge Saldaña is married to Roberto Carlos Arredondo, a sergeant with the Laredo Police Department. They are the proud parents of two sons and two daughters.
Speaking At
