San Francisco-based attorney Harmeet Dhillon, a prominent conservative voice and key member of Donald Trump’s legal team, has been officially confirmed by the U.S. Senate to head the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice. Dhillon, known for her outspoken alignment with the former president and her firm stance on right-wing legal causes, will now oversee the division’s criminal and civil cases, including hate crime investigations, voting rights cases, and police discrimination probes.
During her confirmation process, Dhillon voiced strong opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies, labeling them unconstitutional and supporting efforts to ban them across public and private institutions—a stance consistent with the Trump-era agenda, as noted by Reuters.
Dhillon has long been active in Republican circles, previously serving as chair of both the San Francisco Republican Party and the Republican National Lawyers Association. She played a significant role in Trump’s 2020 campaign and co-chaired Women for Trump. Although she failed in her 2023 bid to unseat Ronna McDaniel as head of the Republican National Committee, her influence within the GOP has steadily grown.
Known for her frequent appearances on Fox News, Dhillon is an unapologetic critic of liberal policies, often speaking out on polarizing issues like vaccine mandates and the FBI’s Mar-a-Lago raid. Her confirmation is seen by many as a dramatic shift for the Civil Rights Division, which has historically championed the protection of voting access for marginalized communities.
According to Democracy Docket, Dhillon’s appointment signals a possible reversal in the division’s mission. Her firm was highly active during the 2022 midterms, supporting GOP legal actions aimed at challenging election outcomes and curbing voter access in key battleground states. This includes representing Kari Lake in Arizona and Abraham Hamadeh, both of whom disputed their election losses with unproven fraud claims.
She also defended restrictive voting policies in Pennsylvania and Georgia, representing Republican clients attempting to roll back mail-in voting and enforce stringent voter ID laws.
Despite her controversial positions, Dhillon continues to stress her belief in inclusion. She led a Sikh prayer at the Republican National Convention last year, saying it was meant to reflect values like humility and justice. She previously performed the same prayer at the 2016 convention, expressing her view that the Republican Party embraces diversity.
