Zahid Quraishi, a Pakistani-American, has been appointed as a federal judge by US President Joe Biden. This is the first time a Muslim American has been nominated for the role in US history.
Quraishi is a New Jersey resident who has worked as a magistrate for the past three years.
Quraishi will be the first Muslim American to act as a federal district judge if he is appointed.
Judge Quraishi was appointed by President Biden to be a federal judge on the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Senator Corey Booker, and Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey all applauded President’s announcement.
President Biden’s effort was also praised by the American-Pakistani Public Affairs Committee.
The White House stated in a statement Tuesday that “This trailblazing slate of nominees draws from the very best and brightest minds of the American legal profession,”
“Each is deeply qualified and prepared to deliver justice faithfully under our Constitution and impartially to the American people — and together they represent the broad diversity of background, experience, and perspective that makes our nation strong.”
Quraishi was named to the District of New Jersey as a magistrate judge in 2019. He now wants to enter on the court. He is of Pakistani descent and earned his law degree from Rutgers Law School, where he is presently an adjunct professor.
According to his Rutgers bio page, Quraishi served in the army as a military prosecutor with the JAG Corps and deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2006.
Later, he worked with the Department of Homeland Security before becoming a federal prosecutor in New Jersey’s District Court.
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