WASHINGTON –A leading American Muslim civil rights group has welcomed President Barack Obama’s nomination of Abid Qureshi as the first Muslim in the federal judiciary, saying it sends a positive message of inclusion.
“The nomination of Abid Qureshi to fill a seat on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia sends a message of inclusion that is welcomed by the American Muslim community and by all Americans who value diversity and mutual respect at a time when some seek division and discord,” Nihad Awad, National Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said in a statement sent to AboutIslam.net.
“If confirmed, Qureshi will join the hundreds of thousands of American Muslims serving their fellow citizens and the nation.”
The historic decision was announced Tuesday by Obama.
“I am pleased to nominate Mr. Qureshi to serve on the United States District Court bench,” Obama said in a statement cited by Huffington Post.
“I am confident he will serve the American people with integrity and a steadfast commitment to justice.”
Qureshi, who would be the first American Muslim to serve as a federal judge, is a partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Latham & Watkins LLP.
He has also served on the District of Columbia Bar Association’s Legal Ethics Committee. Qureshi received his J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1997 and his BA summa cum laude from Cornell University in 1993.
With only dew months left in Obama’s term, Qureshi’s nomination to the US District Court for the District of Columbia isn’t likely to go anywhere as Senate Republicans have all but stopped confirming his judicial picks.
Yet, the nomination was praised from its symbolic value, coming in the midst of a chaotic presidential campaign in which GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has said that a Muslim federal judge wouldn’t treat him fairly because of his calls for banning Muslims from entering the country.
Trump made similarly bigoted charges that a Latino federal judge would be biased against him because he has advocated for building a wall along the US-Mexico border.
“I commend President Obama for taking this important step in continuing to pick the best and brightest from every community to serve as part of our nation’s judiciary,” said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy organization.
“A judiciary that reflects the rich diversity of our nation helps ensure the fair and just administration of the law, and it is vital for American Muslims to be included. Mr. Qureshi’s profound commitment to the rule of law and justice for people of all backgrounds makes him an exceptional nominee.”