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Draft:Brenda Abdellal

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Brenda Abdelall is an American lawyer and civil rights advocate who serves as a senior official in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).[1] She has specialized in civil rights policy, immigration law, and constitutional protections since her appointment to DHS in 2019.[2]

Early Life and Education

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Abdelall was born and raised in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Egyptian immigrant parents.[3] She completed her undergraduate studies at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, earning a Bachelor of Science in International Politics in 2005.[4]

She earned her Juris Doctor (JD) from the University of Michigan Law School in 2008, where she served as an editor for the Michigan Journal of International Law.[5] During law school, she participated in the Immigration and Civil Rights Litigation Clinic, working on cases involving constitutional rights and immigration law.[6]

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ACLU and Early Practice

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Following law school, Abdelall joined the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as a civil rights attorney in 2009.[7] At the ACLU, she worked on several notable cases, including:

  • Hassan v. City of New York (2012), challenging surveillance practices targeting religious minorities[8]
  • Rodriguez v. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (2014), addressing due process rights in immigration detention[9]

Department of Homeland Security

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In 2019, Abdelall was appointed as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.[10] Her work focused on developing civil rights compliance frameworks and establishing oversight mechanisms for detention facility operations.[11]

References

  1. ^ "Leadership: Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties". Department of Homeland Security. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  2. ^ Johnson, Sarah (2019-06-15). "DHS Announces New Civil Rights Leadership Appointments". Government Executive. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  3. ^ Ahmed, Rania (2021-03-12). "Michigan Native Leads Civil Rights Efforts at DHS". Arab American News. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  4. ^ "Notable Alumni: Brenda Abdelall". Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  5. ^ Abdelall, Brenda (2008). "Constitutional Implications of Post-9/11 Immigration Policies". Michigan Journal of International Law. 29 (2): 49–87.
  6. ^ "Alumni Profile: Brenda Abdelall". University of Michigan Law School. 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  7. ^ Martinez, Elena (2009-09-20). "ACLU Strengthens Immigration Rights Team". ACLU Press Release. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  8. ^ 804 F.3d (United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit 2012).
  9. ^ 967 F.Supp.2d (United States District Court for the Central District of California 2014).
  10. ^ "DHS Announces Key Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Appointments" (Press release). Department of Homeland Security. 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2024-10-29.
  11. ^ Thompson, Robert (2020-07-12). "DHS Implements New Civil Rights Oversight Measures". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-10-29.