Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries is recently in hot waters after he continuously defended Vice President, Kamala Harris’s economic plan. People are criticizing him for showing his loyalty to Harris rather than to the people of the United States. Previously, Jeffries presided over the House Democratic Caucus for a couple of years which ultimately led the people to elect him as leader. Jeffries made history by being the first black person to chair the chambers of the US.

Jeffries’ Early Life

Born on August 4, 1970, to parents, Marland Jeffries and Laneda Jeffries, Hakeem grew up in New York. His parents worked for the state which inspired him to serve the people of the United States. He attended Midwood High School and then went on to get his Bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University. Jeffries proceeded to get his Master’s degree in Public Policy from Georgetown which really helped in his career later. Jeffries got his law degree from NYU and then began working for the District Court.

Also Read: Former President, Bill Clinton’s Illness Concerns His Supporters After Noticing Him With Trembling Hands And Strained Voice

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (@repjeffries)

Hakeem Jeffries’ Religion

Jeffries had a black Baptist upbringing and is quite vocal about his beliefs. He is a Southern Baptist which is the majority in the US. During his speech in the Senate in 2020, one of the objectors of him began shouting at him and shrieking comments at him. Jeffries remained calm during the fiasco and answered him by reciting a Bible verse.

However, he is severely reprimanded by the citizens for his past beliefs against topics like abortion and LGBTQ. People expect their leader to be open to different perspectives and be more accepting of others, but Jeffries’s answer to them always used to be to go and ‘pick a Bible’. However, recently he criticized the overturning of Roe v. Wade and re-established the ‘Women’s Health Protection Act’ to provide abortion care. He also urged against discrimination against one’s personal beliefs. This garnered the votes of many others courtesy of these beliefs.

Also Read: A Tribute to Famous Astronaut Sunita William’s Father Who Was The Reason Behind Her Success

Jeffries Work While Being In Office

Hakeem’s dedication to the betterment of the policies for his country is commendable. He initiated the ‘Prison Ship Martyrs’ Act which preserved the burial sites of the heroes of the country. Jeffries was a strong advocate to provide more relief to the families of those that passed away while on duty and supported ‘The Slain Officer Family Support Act’. This came after the death of two on-duty police officers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (@repjeffries)

During his tenure, he sponsored the ‘First Step Act’ which was supported by Donald Trump. The Act worked to reduce maximum sentences for prisoners and ended the inhumane use of restraints on women during their labor in prison. His personal website details his efforts.

Also Read: Jojo Siwa Has Mixed Ethnicity as her Father and Mother Belong to Different Roots

Jeffries Was Elected As Chair of the House Democratic Caucus

After defeating his opponent, Barbara Lee, Jeffries became chair in January 2019. The following year, he was chosen to be one of those to present Trump’s impeachment case. In 2022, he contested unopposed to become the House Democratic Leader. He rewrote history by being the first black person to do so.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Congressman Hakeem Jeffries (@repjeffries)

Fatima Abid: Obsessed with books since childhood, Fatima Abid now pens down her own words. Her favorite part about writing is transforming the ideas flying in her head into words on a screen. Her abundance of articles are a testament to her passion for writing.