-
Zahid Quraishi to be the first Muslim American federal judge in US history
CNN reported Senate on Thursday voted to confirm Zahid Quraishi to be a US District Judge for the District of New Jersey, making him the first Muslim American federal judge in US history. Zahid Quraishi
According to CNN, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Wednesday in floor remarks ahead of the vote, "Mr. Quraishi will be the first American Muslim in United States history to serve as an Article III federal judge. The third largest religion in the United States, and he will become the first to ever serve as an Article III judge."
In his noting on how Quraishi is a "powerful" example of diversity Schumer said, "We must expand not only demographic diversity, but professional diversity, and I know that President Biden agrees with me on this, and this will be something that I will set out to do."
Prior to his confirmation, Quraishi has been serving as a United States magistrate judge in New Jersey. According to his biography, he is of Pakistani ancestry and has the distinction of being the first Asian-American to serve on the federal bench in New Jersey. Zahid Quraishi
In March, when Biden announced his intention to nominate Quraishi, the White House said he "served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey from 2008 to 2013. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney's office, Judge Quraishi served as an assistant chief counsel at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. He also served as a military prosecutor and achieved the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, deploying to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004 and 2006."
Source: CNN
Image source: AFP-Getty Images-CNN
