Vanita Gupta is ‘proud daughter’ of immigrants from India: Joe Biden

US President-elect Joe
Biden nominated Indian-American Vanita Gupta to be his associate attorney
general on Thursday and said that she is a “proud daughter” of immigrants
from India who has fought for greater equity, PTI reported. 

“As associate attorney
general, the number three job at the department, I nominate Vanita Gupta. A
woman I’ve known for some time. One of the most respected civil rights lawyers
in America,” Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware on Thursday.

Biden said Gupta began
her career at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and then went on to the ACLU. Before
joining the Justice Department during the Obama-Biden administration where she
led the civil rights division.

“At every step, with
every case, she fought for greater equity and the right to right the wrongs of
a justice system where they existed,” Biden said.

“That’s a rare achievement and it speaks
volumes about her capacity to unite people in common purpose, which is what
this is all about. Uniting the American people. Born in Philadelphia, a proud
daughter of immigrants from India, does that sound familiar?” Biden added while
looking at Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.

Gupta, 46, will be the
first woman of colour to serve in this role if she is confirmed by the Senate.

 “If confirmed, Vanita will be the first woman
of colour to serve as associate attorney general. And I’m grateful. I’m
grateful that Vanita is leaving her current job, leading one of the premier
civil rights organisations in the world as she answers the call to serve once
again to ensure that our justice system is even more fair and more equitable,”
he said.