Sign up here to receive The Yappie‘s weekly briefing on Asian American + Pacific Islander politics and support our work by making a donation.
The Senate voted 81-16 on Thursday to approve the nomination of Judge Zahid Quraishi to the U.S. District Court in New Jersey, making him the first Muslim American federal judge in U.S. history.
President Biden announced his intent to nominate Quraishi earlier this year, along with three other judicial candidates of Asian descent. The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance Quraishi's nomination last week.
Quraishi, the son of Pakistani immigrants, previously made history as the first Asian American to sit on the federal bench in New Jersey. He was also a partner at Riker Danzig and worked for the New Jersey Attorney’s Office.
Worth noting: Not all Muslim Americans are welcoming the move. Some have criticized his previous work as a lawyer for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and “detention advisor" during the Iraq War.
Another historic moment: The Senate voted Tuesday to confirm Regina Rodriguez to the U.S. District Court of Colorado, making her the first Asian American judge to sit on the state's federal bench.
