Hakeem Jeffries

Hakeem Sekou Jeffries is an American attorney and politician who has served as the U.S. Representative for New York's 8th congressional district since 2013. A member of the Democratic Party, Jeffries was elected House Minority Leader in 2023, making him the first Black lawmaker to lead a major party in either chamber of Congress. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Binghamton University, a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University, and a Juris Doctor from the New York University School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude. Before his career in public office, Jeffries served as a law clerk for a federal judge and practiced law at the firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. He also served as assistant general counsel for Viacom and CBS. His political career began in the New York State Assembly, where he represented the 57th district from 2007 to 2012. During his tenure in the state legislature, he was known for authoring laws aimed at civil liberties and housing affordability, including reforms to the NYPD's stop-and-frisk program. In Congress, Jeffries has held several leadership roles, including Chair of the House Democratic Caucus from 2019 to 2023 and one of the House impeachment managers during the first impeachment trial of Donald Trump. He is widely recognized for his work on criminal justice reform, notably as a lead author of the bipartisan First Step Act, which was signed into law in 2018 to reduce recidivism and reform federal sentencing laws. As Democratic Leader, he has focused on maintaining party unity and advocating for a policy agenda centered on economic and social justice.

Jeffries' legislative priorities focus on expanding healthcare access, economic affordability, and criminal justice reform. He is a staunch advocate for the Affordable Care Act (ACA), supporting the extension of tax credits and opposing cuts to Medicaid. Economically, he emphasizes 'lowering the high cost of living,' strengthening collective bargaining rights for federal workers, and supporting bipartisan housing initiatives. On immigration, Jeffries supports comprehensive reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for 'Dreamers' and maintaining 'fair, just, and humane' enforcement while securing borders. Regarding foreign policy, he has traditionally supported security assistance to allies like Israel while more recently navigating internal party calls for stricter conditions on military aid. In the realm of criminal justice, he advocates for federal bans on police chokeholds and further sentencing reforms following his work on the First Step Act.