By: Alyssa Wilson

On Thursday, the Senate voted and confirmed Zahid Quraishi to the seat of U.S. District Court judge for the district of New Jersey. This appointment makes him the first Muslim American federal judge in United States history.  

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HISTORY MADE: The Senate just confirmed Zahid Quraishi to the federal District Court of New Jersey, making him the first Muslim American in U.S. history to serve as an Article III federal judge. pic.twitter.com/ealfSroiru

— Senator Bob Menendez (@SenatorMenendez) June 10, 2021

New Jersey Senator Bob Menendez celebrated Quraishi’s confirmation on Twitter. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said diversity must be expanded. “Mr. Quraishi will be the first American Muslim in United States history to serve as an Article III federal judge. The third largest religion in the United States, and he will become the first to ever serve as an Article III judge. We must expand not only demographic diversity, but professional diversity, and I know that President Biden agrees with me on this, and this will be something that I will set out to do.”  

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According to CNN, Quraishi previously served as a United States magistrate judge in New Jersey. He also served as an assistant chief counsel at the Department of Homeland Security. He received his law degree from Rutgers Law School in Newark, where he was managing business editor of the Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal, and a Rutgers Moot Court board member.  

Quraishi has received numerous recognitions and awards for his legal work, including , New Jersey’s Asian Pacific American Lawyers Association Professional Achievement Award, the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey‘s Standing Ovation Award and the NJ Muslim Lawyers Association Trailblazer of the Year Award.