Trump picks Indian-American Harmeet Dhillon as civil rights chief

New York: President-elect Donald Trump has named Harmeet Dhillon, a Republican activist and prominent civil rights attorney, as the assistant attorney general for civil rights at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Announcing the appointment on Truth Social on Monday, Trump described Dhillon as a tireless defender of constitutional rights who would enforce civil rights and election laws fairly and firmly. He also highlighted her reputation as a respected member of the Sikh religious community.

Dhillon, who has been vocal on various international issues, including her support for the farmers’ protest in India, has raised allegations of Indian death squads targeting Sikh activists in North America. On social media platform X, she criticized the Indian government’s response to the protests and expressed her solidarity with the farmers. She referred to her Punjabi heritage, stating that her heart breaks to see Punjabi farmers assaulted for protesting against a pro-corporate farm bill, which she claimed would destroy their way of life and culture. She urged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to meet with the protesters and reach a compromise.

Despite her strong opinions on international matters, Dhillon’s new role primarily focuses on domestic civil rights issues. Cases involving alleged Indian conspiracies, such as the Khalistani activist plot and bribery allegations against Indian business leaders, fall under other DOJ divisions.

Trump highlighted Dhillon’s contributions to civil liberties, citing her legal work against Big Tech for censoring free speech, challenging lockdown rules restricting worship during the COVID pandemic, and suing corporations over alleged woke discrimination. He referred to her as one of the top election lawyers in the country, known for her efforts to ensure the integrity of voting processes.

If the Senate confirms, Dhillon will be the second Indian American to hold this position, following Vanita Gupta, who served under Presidents Obama and Biden.

Dhillon has also been a prominent figure in Republican politics, serving as co-chair of the Women for Trump campaign, providing legal advice to Trump’s 2020 campaign, and unsuccessfully running for the chair of the Republican National Committee last year.

Her civil rights work has included representing conservatives, suing Antifa for alleged attacks on journalists, and challenging institutions like the University of California Berkley for perceived bias against right-wing speakers.

Trump noted that throughout her career, Dhillon has consistently stood up to protect cherished civil liberties, taking on cases involving corporations and government policies.

With IANS inputs

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