By Steve Neavling
President-elect Donald J. Trump announced Monday that he intends to nominate California lawyer Harmeet K. Dhillon to lead the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Dhillon has been a vocal supporter of Trump, both in legal battles and on social media, The New York Times reports.
Trump praised Dhillon on social media, calling her a staunch defender of “our cherished civil liberties.” He highlighted her legal work against social media companies, pandemic-era restrictions on religious gatherings, and what he described as “woke policies” in corporations that allegedly discriminate against workers.
Known for her loyalty to Trump, Dhillon has not hesitated to criticize Democrats and Republicans alike, including her unsuccessful bid last year to unseat the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee. In 2020, she co-chaired Lawyers for Trump, a group that contested the results of that year’s presidential election.
Dhillon expressed gratitude for the nomination, writing on social media, “I’m extremely honored by President Trump’s nomination to assist with our nation’s civil rights agenda. It has been my dream to be able to serve our great country, and I am so excited to be part of an incredible team of lawyers led by Pam Bondi.”
The Civil Rights Division, which oversees voting rights enforcement, police misconduct investigations, and civil rights prosecutions, is currently wrapping up cases under the Biden administration. On Monday, the division released a critical report on the police department in Worcester, Massachusetts. However, with the incoming Trump administration, some expect these efforts to lose momentum.
During Trump’s first term, the Justice Department stepped back from several prominent police misconduct cases, a pattern legal experts anticipate will continue in his second term. By selecting Dhillon, a lawyer deeply engaged in cultural and political battles, Trump signals his intention to reshape the division’s priorities.
