California Patriot Profile: Harmeet Dhillon
A Conservative Champion for Civil Rights
Harmeet K. Dhillon, a trailblazing conservative attorney, earned the title of Conservative Champion through her relentless advocacy for constitutional liberties and rise to Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. From her early days as a leader of the San Francisco Republican Party to her national prominence, Dhillon’s career embodies the fight for conservative values in a liberal stronghold.
Dhillon’s parents, who were immigrants, came to America and registered as Republicans, instilling those conservative values in their daughter. Dhillon’s conservative activism began at Dartmouth University, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Dartmouth Review. She also spent time at the Heritage Foundation as a journalist. She ultimately settled in San Francisco, where she practiced law and continued to make a positive impact for the cause. Dhillon was elected to the GOP County Central Committee and was elected chair of the San Francisco Republican Party. In a city where Republicans make up only 7% of the voters, her leadership was a bold stand against progressive dominance. I recall working alongside Harmeet during her tenure, fighting fiercely against California’s top-two primary system, which was passed in 2010 and harmed our election process by sidelining minor parties and limiting voter choice. Her role as vice chair of the California Republican Party and election as Republican National Committeewoman for California amplified her influence. At the 2016 and 2024 Republican National Conventions, Dhillon delivered historic Sikh prayers, symbolizing her unique blend of cultural heritage and conservative conviction. Dhillon also ran a principled campaign for Chairman of the Republican National Committee and carried herself as the conservative leader that she is.
As the founder of the Dhillon Law Group and the Center for American Liberty, a nonprofit organization she founded, Dhillon has been a legal advocate for conservative causes. She represented the Berkeley College Republicans in a lawsuit against the University of California, Berkeley, for canceling a speech by Ann Coulter, defending free speech. Her firm sued Google on behalf of engineer James Damore, who was fired for questioning diversity policies and challenging corporate “woke” agendas. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dhillon filed lawsuits against California’s stay-at-home orders, representing pastors, gun shop owners, and beachgoers, arguing government overreach violated civil liberties. Her firm, a non-profit she formed, together won three religious liberty cases against California before the United States Supreme Court. Her defiance of Governor Gavin Newsom’s mandates galvanized conservatives. She also represented journalist Andy Ngo against Antifa, seeking justice for assault, and defended conservative clients in ballot challenges in Colorado and Maine, cementing her role as a guardian of electoral integrity.
Dhillon’s legal acumen and leadership culminated in her nomination by President Trump as Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. Confirmed by a 52-45 Senate vote early last month, she became the first Republican woman and Indian American to lead the division. Her appointment signals a shift toward prioritizing a back-to-basics approach to protecting civil rights, such as religious freedoms and voting integrity, as well as leading the DOJ’s efforts against antisemitism -- rather than the extreme progressive agenda that emerged from that division during the Biden Administration, which employed lawfare to push progressive priorities like DEI initiatives.
Dhillon is widely praised as a principled defender of the Constitution. In a state where Republicans struggle, her ascent from San Francisco to Washington embodies conservative resilience. It has been a pleasure to have enjoyed a personal friendship with Harmeet and her late husband, Sarv, for a quarter of a century, and she has served as a personal inspiration to me—a true California conservative champion.
Each week, I profile a conservative champion in California. Please suggest people you think should be considered for a future profile!
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