Indian American Impact On Roopali Desai’s Historic Confirmation to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals

Washington, D.C. —  Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Arizona lawyer, Roopali Desai, as a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Roopali’s victory was realized by an unrivaled amount of bipartisan action in which she secured the most votes of any circuit court nominee under the Biden administration thus far. As the first South Asian to serve as a judge on the 9th circuit court, this historic confirmation comes as a major win to the South Asian community.

Neil Makhija, Indian American Impact Executive Director, shared the following statement: 

“Roopali Desai’s bold and inspired work as an attorney in Arizona earned her a reputation and career of which she should be immensely proud. A fierce defender of democracy, she valiantly represented the Arizona state secretary of state, Katie Hobbs, against a lawsuit by President Donald Trump’s campaign that sought to overturn Biden’s victory in Arizona.

As the first South Asian confirmed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, her historic victory is a win for all of us. We at Impact extend a sincere and warm congratulations to Roopali for not only majorly advancing her illustrious career, but also our entire community.

It’s no secret that communities of color have been severely underrepresented within our judicial system, but a new wave of tenacious and driven leaders is making remarkable progress in our pursuit of proper representation. While we may not know what the future holds, we can be certain that it will be bright – and it will look like all of us.”

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Indian American Impact is a national 501(c)(4) organization that elevates the voices of Indian Americans and South Asians to ensure that every level of government represents us and our values. Impact works to mobilize, engage and elect South Asians in an effort to build a world in which all Americans have the opportunity to thrive. To connect with Neil Makhija, Executive Director of Indian American Impact, please reach out to Charlotte Bennett or María Gamba.