06.10.21

Senate Confirms Zahid Quraishi To Be District Judge For District Of New Jersey

Judge Quraishi will be the first Muslim-American in U.S. history to serve as an Article III federal judge

WASHINGTON – Today, the Senate confirmed Zahid Quraishi to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey by a bipartisan vote of 81-16.  Ahead of the confirmation vote, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, called on his Senate colleagues to support Judge Quraishi’s nomination.  In a speech on the Senate floor, Durbin highlighted Judge Quraishi’s distinguished career in public service and his service as a U.S. Magistrate Judge.  Judge Quraishi will be the first Muslim-American in U.S. history to serve as an Article III federal judge.

“Zahid Quraishi has had an amazing public service career and since 2019, he has served as a U.S. Magistrate judge… he will be the first Muslim-American in U.S. history to serve as an Article III federal judge,” Durbin said.  “… His time in the private sector was cut short by a strange, tragic twist of fate.  His first day of work was September 11, 2001.  The events of that day inspired Judge Quraishi to work in public service.  He was a commissioned officer and was twice deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2006.  For his service, he was awarded the combat star and combat action badge.  He continued to work in public service, first as an assistant chief counsel in the Department of Homeland Security and then in the U.S. Attorney’s office.”

Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.

Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.

Last month, Judge Quraishi was advanced out of Committee by a vote of 19-3 with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mike Lee (R-UT), Tom Cotton (R-AR), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) voting “aye” with all Committee Democrats.

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