Trump Picks Sikh Attorney Harmeet Dhillon as DOJ to Defend Christian Values and Civil Liberties
- Milton Quintanilla Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
- Updated Dec 11, 2024
President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday that he had nominated Harmeet K. Dhillon, a Sikh attorney and the former vice chair of the California GOP, as the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Justice. If approved by the Senate, Dhillon would play a significant role in enforcing voting rights and protecting civil liberties in the U.S.
"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 in a statement.
"Harmeet is one of the top election lawyers in the country, fighting to ensure that all, and ONLY, legal votes are counted," he continued. "In her new role at the DOJ, Harmeet will be a tireless defender of our constitutional rights and will enforce our civil rights and election laws FAIRLY and FIRMLY."
Dhillon also posted a statement thanking Trump for the nomination, The Christian Post.
"I am extremely honored by President Trump's nomination to assist with our nation's civil rights agenda," she wrote. "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."
"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," she added. "I hope I will honor their memories with God's grace."
I'm extremely honored 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!
— Harmeet K. Dhillon (@pnjaban) December 10, 2024
I… pic.twitter.com/L2NCA9m987
Dhillon, a devout Sikh born in India, has long advocated for free speech and religious freedom throughout her career. She previously served as California's representative on the Republican National Committee.
Dhillon graduated from Dartmouth College and the University of Virginia Law School and also clerked for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. During her legal career, she became well-known for her advocacy on behalf of conservative clients, such as the Berkeley College Republicans and a Google engineer fired after denouncing the company's diversity policies.
In 2020, she led multiple lawsuits against California's COVID-19 policies, including mail-in ballots and stay-at-home protocols.
She has long been a vocal supporter of the Sikh community and is the first woman to be the first Indian-American to deliver a Sikh prayer at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Although she delivered a similar prayer in 2024 at the convention, Dhillion drew mixed reactions from conservative Christians since the prayer included the statement, "Dear Waheguru, our one true God."
"I come from a family of Sikh immigrants, and I'm honored to share with you, my fellow Republicans and guests tonight, a prayer from my faith and tradition practiced by over 25 million worldwide," she told the crowd before covering her head with a traditional religious covering.
In response to The Christian Post about her Sikh prayer, Dhillon explained that she "has sat through thousands of prayers of other denominations over the years" and believes her prayer was part of a key effort to "get as many votes as possible from Jews, from Sikhs, from different kinds of Christians, Hindus, Muslims" ahead of the November election.
"I think it is important that I communicate to my community that we are welcome in this party, and our votes are welcome, and our support is welcome. Our candidacies are welcome, and we are welcome," she said. "And how do you make that clear? And I think one of these ways to do that is to show that there are people of our faith on the stage and that we are welcome."
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/pnjaban
