WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — President Donald Trump’s nominee for Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Harmeet Dhillon, highlighted her Sikh faith and immigrant heritage during her Senate confirmation hearing on February 26.
Dhillon, a lawyer from San Francisco, shared experiences of her family being discriminated against when they immigrated to Smithfield, North Carolina, in 1975. She spoke of facing a sign welcoming visitors in the name of the United Klans of America and bullying because of her looks and religion and recounted the time her former husband was shot in the chest by a racist on a New York City bus in the 1990’s.
Quoting from her 32 years of service in the law, Dhillon emphasized her work protecting diverse communities, including Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians. She promised to maintain the integrity of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, saying she would not use it as a partisan vehicle.
Yet, her nomination has been contentious. The Sikh Coalition, a non-partisan civil rights group, wrote letters in December detailing policy concerns and queries about her stands on items like voting rights and LGBTQ+ protections. They underscored the need to protect the rights of all communities, a Sikh value of “sarbat da Bhalla” or doing good for all.
While listening, Dhillon touched upon the issues regarding politicization within the DOJ from her role as President Trump’s lawyer. She voiced caution of the kind of abuse that could be played upon justice and assured of acting against such tendencies.
Her nomination will now go on for deliberation to the full Senate from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
