WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden just hit a significant milestone that sets his presidency apart. He’s appointed more federal judges in his first term than former President Donald Trump did during his, and he’s done so with an unprecedented focus on diversity. By the end of the Senate’s final session of the year, Biden had secured the confirmation of 235 judges—one more than Trump managed in his first four years.
The last two judges confirmed under Biden’s administration were Benjamin J. Cheeks, who will serve as a district judge in Southern California, and Serena Raquel Murillo, who will take the bench in Central California. Both were confirmed along party lines with a 49-47 vote. Cheeks is now the 63rd Black judge Biden has appointed, and Murillo marks the 150th woman added to the federal bench during his term.
Some notable senators didn’t participate in the final vote, including Vice President-elect J.D. Vance from Ohio and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. Newly sworn Sen. Adam Schiff from California and outgoing Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia also missed the session.
This milestone comes just in time, as Republicans will take control of the Senate in January, likely ending Biden’s chances to confirm more judges before Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Biden expressed pride in his accomplishment, emphasizing his commitment to building a judiciary that mirrors the diversity of the United States. “When I ran for president, I promised to create a bench that looks like America,” he said in a statement Friday night. “I’m proud of the legacy I will leave with our nation’s judges.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also celebrated the achievement, calling it historic. “We’ve confirmed more judges than any administration in decades. One in four active judges on the federal bench today was appointed by this Senate majority,” Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Observers who track federal court appointments highlighted the historic diversity of Biden’s picks. His administration set records for appointing women and people of color, including Black, Latino, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander judges. He also nominated the first-ever Muslim judges, openly LGBTQ judges, and judges with disabilities to the federal bench.
For instance, 15 of Biden’s appointees to federal appeals courts are Black, and 13 of them are women. Before his term, only eight Black women had ever served at this level. Biden also broke new ground by appointing the first judges of color to federal courts in districts like Louisiana, Rhode Island, and Virginia.
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights praised these efforts, pointing out how federal courts have traditionally lacked representation from diverse backgrounds. “Our federal court system has long failed to reflect the people it serves,” the group said in a memo. They noted that Biden’s appointments included nearly 100 former civil rights lawyers or public defenders, such as Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first former public defender on the highest court.
Not everyone celebrated these achievements. Adeel Mangi, a Muslim American nominee for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, voiced frustration after his nomination was blocked. In a public letter, he accused Republican senators of Islamophobia during his confirmation process. He also criticized Democrats who joined Republicans in opposing his nomination. Mangi described the process as “broken,” calling it a spectacle designed to raise money and target minority candidates unfairly.
Other blocked nominations included Julia M. Lipez from Maine, Karla M. Campbell from Tennessee, and Ryan Young Park from North Carolina, all of whom faced hurdles despite their qualifications.
With Republicans set to take control of the Senate, Biden’s historic run of judicial appointments is likely coming to an end. But his administration has left a lasting mark, not just in terms of numbers but in creating a bench that more accurately represents the nation’s diversity.
