In his latest round of picks to lead the U.S. Department of Justice, President-elect Donald J. Trump named Harmeet Kaur Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. If confirmed, Ms. Dhillon will be the first Sikh American to hold this critical position, marking a significant milestone in advancing Sikh representation in public service.
The nomination comes as a surprise given that as recently as July 2024, far-right trolls on the internet took offense to Dhillion’s recitation of the Ardas, a Sikh prayer at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2023, she raised hackles within her own Republican party, as she attempted to unseat Ronna McDaniel as Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.
Californians are more familiar with Dhillon’s name than the rest of the country because she has been active in state-level politics for over a decade. Dhillon is the founder of the Dhillon Law Group, a nationally recognized litigation law firm that focuses on discrimination and civil liberties. The Dhillon Law Group has represented Donald Trump and his aides in many legal cases. Her firm specializes in commercial litigation, employment law, First Amendment rights, and election law matters. She is also the chief executive at Center for American Liberty, a non-profit organization “dedicated to defending the civil liberties of Americans left behind by civil rights legacy organizations.”
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A distinguished attorney and Republican Party official, Dhillon earned her Bachelor of Arts from Dartmouth College and her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law, where she served on the editorial board of the Virginia Law Review. Following law school, she clerked for Judge Paul V. Niemeyer of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Her leadership roles include serving as the former vice chairwoman of the California Republican Party and as a National Committeewoman of the Republican National Committee for California.
“As a community, we are proud to see a Sikh American woman nominated to a position charged with protecting the civil rights of all Americans,” said Kavneet Singh, Board Chair, SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund). “This nomination underscores the progress our community has made in gaining recognition and representation at the highest levels of government.”
Ms. Dhillon’s relationship with SALDEF spans over two decades. As a volunteer lawyer, she worked on critical civil rights matters, including employment discrimination cases.
SALDEF also acknowledged the significant responsibilities of the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, a role that directly impacts the safeguarding of fundamental freedoms, addressing hate crimes, combating racial and religious profiling, and expanding voting rights.
“As we celebrate the historic nature of this nomination, we look forward to working with Harmeet to ensure the Department of Justice protects the civil rights of all communities,” said Kiran Kaur Gill, SALDEF’s Executive Director. “SALDEF remains committed to working with the Department of Justice and the incoming administration to fight for the civil rights of all Americans and ensure that the Sikh American community is represented fairly.”
Though Indian Americans comprise only 1.4% of the total U.S. population, they have steadily developed political clout as many become more civically engaged in the democratic process and running for political office. Dhillon follows in the footsteps of VP Kamala Harris, and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nicky Haley, among others.
As the daughter of Sikh immigrants, and in her career as a civil rights attorney and RNC Committeewoman for California, Dhillon has defied stereotypes, making her mark as that rare Indian American voice for conservative causes.