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US President-elect Donald Trump has nominated Harmeet K Dhillon as assistant attorney general for civil rights at the United States Department of Justice.

“Harmeet has stood up consistently to protect our cherished civil liberties,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform.

“Harmeet is one of the top election lawyers in the country, fighting to ensure that all, and only, legal votes are counted. Harmeet is a respected member of the Sikh religious community,” he added.

Harmeet Kaur Dhillon, who is the managing partner of San Francisco-based Dhillon Law Group, has been a prominent supporter of Donald Trump. She also recited an Ardas prayer for Trump at the Republican National Convention, days after an assassination attempt.

“I’m extremely honoured by President Trump’s nomination to assist with our nation’s civil rights agenda. It has been my dream to be able to serve our great country, and I am so excited to be part of an incredible team of lawyers led by Pam Bondi. I cannot wait to get to work!” Dhillon posted on X.

Dhillon is the former vice chair of the California Republican Party. She was the legal advisor for Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign and co-chaired the group Lawyers for Trump. She helped the group challenge the results of the 2020 US Presidential election, especially in Arizona.

Born in Chandigarh in 1969, Dhillon immigrated to the United States with her family at age two. She attended Dartmouth College, earning a degree in Classical Studies and English, and later received her law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law.

She has been known for championing conservative causes in the court. She represented the Berkeley College Republicans in a 2017 lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley, for cancelling a speech by conservative commentator Ann Coulter. She also sued the California Department of Motor Vehicles, alleging failures to verify citizenship for voter registration.

She also courted controversy when Piers Morgan, frustrated by Dhillon’s relentless defence of Trump in a TV debate, decided to not invite her again.