Biden's Judicial Overhaul: Packing the Courts with Radical Soldiers
How Diversity Became an Obstacle to Reform and Accountability
From day one, the Biden administration made it clear that transforming the judiciary was a top priority. The goal, however, was never about appointing competent, neutral jurists. Instead, the administration emphasized radical change, driven by a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, rather than traditional judicial experience. More of Biden's judicial picks had prior experience as U.S. magistrate judges, setting a new trend in judicial appointments, and signaling a deliberate effort to reshape the judicial system with a focus on liberal ideology.
Diversifying the Bench with Radical Ideology
President Biden appointed 235 federal judges during his term, including a historic number of women and people of color. More than 60% of his judicial appointments were women, and a similar percentage were people of color. These efforts include the appointment of the first Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, as well as several other groundbreaking appointments like the first Muslim federal judge, Amir H. Ali, for the District Court in Washington, D.C. (November 2024).
But these appointments weren’t merely about increasing representation—they were a deliberate push to secure progressive ideology across the federal courts. Biden’s judicial picks included public defenders, civil rights lawyers, academics, and others who align with left-leaning political movements. These were not the typical judicial heavyweights with long-standing judicial experience but rather figures with strong ties to progressive causes, reflecting broader ideological goals and not the rule of law.
Biden’s judicial confirmations also reflect the growing power of diverse political and social movements. For instance, while Adeel Mangi was nominated as the first Muslim federal appellate judge, his nomination stalled amid allegations from conservative circles. Despite this setback, Biden’s focus on appointing judicial "firsts" shows a clear prioritization of diversity over experience and neutrality. This strategy continues to shift the balance of federal courts.
What used to be “Top Schools”
Biden’s judicial appointments reveal a troubling trend: more than 40% of his appointees graduated from top law schools such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and Columbia—institutions known not just for academic prestige, but for their outspoken radical student bodies. These schools have long been hotspots for protests and movements that are often anti-American, anti-law enforcement, and supportive of progressive ideologies that challenge traditional legal norms. Many of these students, driven by political activism, advocate for social justice causes that are increasingly at odds with the principles of law and order. The judges appointed from these environments bring with them not only academic credentials but also a deep alignment with radical movements that question the very foundations of American governance and rule of law. This trend is concerning, as it suggests that Biden’s judicial picks may be more influenced by their ideological backgrounds than by a commitment to impartial justice.
Judges Blocking Trump’s Orders
The power of Biden’s judicial picks has already been felt in several high-profile cases where judges, often from his appointees, have blocked or delayed Trump administration policies.
One of the most notable examples occurred when a federal judge Amir H. Ali in D.C., blocked President Trump’s 90-day pause on foreign aid. Judge Ali is the first Muslim federal judge in D.C. This executive order halted the operations of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), an agency responsible for distributing trillions of dollars in to anything and everything, except aid. The decision to block the order demonstrated the influence of these judicial appointments, as the judiciary, populated by judges like Amir H. Ali, held significant sway over the Trump administration’s attempts to root out corruption and criminality from our government.
The Power of Judicial Diversity
Biden’s judicial overhaul is designed to shift the balance of the courts, embedding progressive values across a wide array of federal seats. The result is a judiciary that is deeply aligned with the goals of the administration, often blocking or delaying the implementation of the new Trump-era policies.
While the Biden administration's judicial appointments certainly enhance representation in the courts, they also introduce “legal soldiers” for the implementation of policies of progressive agenda. With a judiciary now increasingly filled with figures from progressive movements, reflecting more “legal soldiers” and less of an experienced, neutral and fair court, the balance of judicial power in America has been irrevocably changed, one that will shape the future of American governance for decades to come.
