Abhishek Kambli, a lawyer of Indian descent, has been appointed by former US President Donald Trump to defend his administration’s controversial application of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. The legal battle erupted after the deportation of hundreds of immigrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, despite a federal judge’s order to temporarily halt the process.
Kambli, who joined the US Department of Justice just a month ago as Deputy Associate Attorney General, has quickly become a central figure in defending the Trump administration’s stance on the matter.
Who is Abhishek Kambli?
Born in India, Kambli relocated to the United States at the age of three and was raised in Norwalk, Connecticut. Initially, he pursued a career in the arts, earning a Fine Arts degree from the University of the Arts in 2006. After working in the entertainment industry for a few years, he shifted his focus to law, later obtaining a Doctor of Law degree from the University of Notre Dame.
Kambli began his legal career in 2013 at Dyess Air Force Base, where he worked as a lead prosecutor, overseeing trial attorneys, paralegals, and legal staff. A year later, he was recognized as the top litigator among base prosecutors and was promoted to Defense Counsel, providing legal services to over 4,000 Air Force personnel.
During his tenure with the US Air Force, he represented Mustafa al-Hawsawi, an alleged financier of the 9/11 attacks, before the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, according to his LinkedIn profile.
In 2019, Kambli took on the role of Assistant US Attorney in the Southern District of Indiana, leading federal prosecutions and assisting international law enforcement agencies. He continues to serve in the Air Force Reserves as a Judge Advocate General officer.
Most recently, in October 2023, he was appointed Deputy Attorney General and Division Chief for Special Litigation and Constitutional Issues in Kansas.
Over the years, Kambli has handled several high-profile cases, including successfully challenging the Biden administration’s $475 billion student loan forgiveness plan and securing an injunction against a federal rule expanding the definition of “sex” to include gender identity, as reported by The Times of India.
