In a historic first for the United States, the Senate has confirmed the appointment of a Muslim to a federal judge position for the state of New Jersey. Judge Zahid Qureshi has been appointed, making him the first Muslim federal judge in U.S. history. Democrats successfully pushed for Qureshi's appointment; he has Pakistani origins and was nominated by President Joe Biden as part of a group of federal judges.
Qureshi has served as a judge in one of New Jersey's courts since 2019. He holds a law degree from Rutgers Law School, where he also works as an assistant professor. He is a former military officer and previously served as an assistant attorney general in New Jersey from 2008 to 2013. Additionally, he served in the U.S. Army as a military prosecutor and was deployed to Iraq in 2004 and 2006.
President Joe Biden remarked earlier that these appointments represent "the great diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives that underpin the strength of our country." Last Tuesday, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of appointing Julian Xavier Neals, marking Biden's first confirmed judge after more than 200 appointments made by his predecessor, Donald Trump.
