de Alba worked with the
ACLU Immigrants' Rights Project in
San Francisco, California, in 2007. From 2007 to 2013, de Alba was an
associate at Lang Richet & Patch in
Fresno. In 2013, she was promoted to
partner, where her practice focused on
torts,
employment law, and
construction law. In October 2018, Governor
Jerry Brown appointed her as a judge of the
Fresno County Superior Court to fill the seat left vacant by the retirement of Judge Dale Ikeda.
Federal judicial service District court service On January 19, 2022, President
Joe Biden nominated de Alba to serve as a
United States district judge for the
United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. On April 27, 2022, a hearing on her nomination was held before the committee. On May 26, 2022, her nomination was favorably reported by the committee by a 12–10 vote. On June 13, 2022, Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer filed
cloture on her nomination. On June 16, 2022, the
United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 52–43 vote. On June 21, 2022, her nomination was confirmed by a 53–45 vote. She received her judicial commission on July 7, 2022, and was sworn in on July 8, 2022. Her service was terminated on November 16, 2023, due to her elevation to the court of appeals. On April 17, 2023, her nomination was sent to the Senate. Biden nominated de Alba to the seat being vacated by Judge
Paul J. Watford, who subsequently resigned on May 31, 2023. On May 17, 2023, a hearing on her nomination was held before the
Senate Judiciary Committee. During her confirmation hearing, Republican senators criticized her over her sentencing record during her tenure as a district court judge. She was questioned over her sentencing of a man convicted of possession of
child pornography. de Alba sentenced the man to 66 months in jail, which fell below the federal sentencing guideline of 78 to 97 months. In 2021, de Alba released from home monitoring an illegal immigrant tied to the killing of a police officer. On June 8, 2023, her nomination was reported out of committee by a party-line 11–10 vote. On November 9, 2023, the
United States Senate invoked cloture on her nomination by a 49–42 vote, with Senator
Joe Manchin voting against the motion to invoke cloture on her nomination. On November 13, 2023, her nomination was confirmed by a 48–43 vote, with Senator Manchin voting against confirmation. She received her judicial commission on November 15, 2023. == Personal life ==