US PRESIDENT-ELECT Donald Trump has nominated Indian-American attorney Harmeet K Dhillon as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice.
“I am pleased to nominate Harmeet K Dhillon as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the US Department of Justice,” Trump announced on Monday on Truth Social, his social media platform.
Dhillon, a Sikh, graduated from Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia Law School. She has clerked for the US Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.
“Throughout her career, Harmeet has stood up consistently to protect our cherished civil liberties, including taking on big tech for censoring our free speech, representing Christians who were prevented from praying together during Covid, and suing corporations who use woke policies to discriminate against their workers,” Trump said.
He described her as “one of the top election lawyers in the country,” noting her efforts to ensure that “all, and ONLY, legal votes are counted.” Trump also highlighted Dhillon's role as a respected member of the Sikh religious community and said she would enforce civil rights and election laws “fairly and firmly” in her new position.
Dhillon has previously faced racial attacks, including an incident after she recited Ardas at the Republican National Convention in July. Last year, she ran unsuccessfully for the position of Republican National Committee chair.
Born in Chandigarh, Dhillon, 54, moved to the US as a child with her family. In 2016, she became the first Indian-American to appear on stage at the GOP Convention in Cleveland.
Expressing her gratitude for the nomination, Dhillon wrote on X, “I'm extremely honoured by President Trump's nomination to assist with our nation's civil rights agenda. It has been my dream to be able to serve our great country, and I am so excited to be part of an incredible team of lawyers led by @PamBondi. I cannot wait to get to work!”
She also credited her family, saying, “I would not be here today without my amazing mother and brother's support, and my beloved father Tejpal and husband Sarv, who did not live to see this day. I hope I will honour their memories, with God's grace.”
(With inputs from PTI)
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