Washington, D.C.— SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund) proudly recognizes the historic nomination of Harmeet Kaur Dhillon as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice by President-elect Donald J. Trump. If confirmed, Ms. Dhillon will be the first Sikh American to hold this critical position, marking a significant milestone in the advancement of Sikh representation in public service.
Harmeet Kaur Dhillon is a distinguished attorney and Republican Party official. She 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. Ms. Dhillon is the founder and managing partner of the Dhillon Law Group Inc., a firm specializing in commercial litigation, employment law, First Amendment rights, and election law matters. She also established the Center for American Liberty, a nonprofit organization dedicated to defending civil liberties.
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 SALDEF Board Chair Kavneet Singh. “This nomination underscores the progress our community has made in gaining recognition and representation at the highest levels of government.”
SALDEF also acknowledges 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.”
Ms. Dhillon’s relationship with SALDEF spans over two decades. As a volunteer lawyer, she worked on critical civil rights matters, including cases involving employment discrimination.
