The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed civil rights attorney Tana Lin as a federal judge in Seattle.
Lin, the president of the board of the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington, will be the first former public defender and the first Asian American to serve as a federal judge in Washington state, said Democratic Sen. Patty Murray.
The 55-year-old Lin helped challenge former President Donald Trump’s travel ban and has represented workers in employment discrimination cases, including immigrant farmworkers in Washington state who were cheated out of wages. President Biden has said he wants his nominees to bring more professional and demographic diversity to the federal courts.
Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell recommended Lin’s appointment after Lin was chosen by a judicial merit selection panel. Civil rights groups cheered her confirmation, which came on a 52-45 vote. (AP)
