Mississippi town appoints Muslim judge amid social media backlash
A municipal judge’s appointment in Benoit, Mississippi, has prompted social media backlash and criticism from some local politicians, primarily because she is Muslim. Assma Ali, a Yemeni-American with nearly 10 years of legal experience, was appointed last week as the municipal judge for the town of fewer than 400 residents in Bolivar County, according to sources.
Supporters, including Mississippi law professor Frank Rosenblatt, say Ali is qualified and an upstanding member of the legal community. Rosenblatt, who has known Ali for years, defended her professionalism and highlighted her mentorship of young lawyers. He also noted that allegations she fabricated her appointment and claims she might implement Islamic law are unfounded and discriminatory.
Some critics on social media falsely claimed Ali was appointed as a judge in Ridgeland or Lumberton and accused her of an “Islamic scam.” Amy Mekelburg, founder of the Rise Align Ignite Reclaim Foundation, posted on X that Ali was the “first Yemeni Sharia Hijabi judge” in Mississippi, with her post garnering over 1 million views. Mekelburg also suggested Ali fabricated her appointment, which Ali has confirmed through social media posts, along with her oath of office and the town’s agenda.
Ali, who is also an immigration lawyer and runs her own practice in Ridgeland, stated she will uphold the U.S. Constitution and Mississippi law. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity and promised to serve with fairness, integrity, and respect for the law, according to her social media statement.
Mississippi has more than 200 municipal judges, who are appointed by city governing bodies and serve over city-specific jurisdictions. Some judges in smaller cities are part-time and may maintain private practices, with no requirement to reside in the city, according to state guidelines. Rosenblatt emphasized that the U.S. and Mississippi constitutions prohibit disqualifying someone from public office based on religion.
Legal experts, including Rutgers University law professor Sahar Aziz, explained that accusations of Ali imposing Sharia law are unfounded. Aziz described Sharia as a complex legal system with many interpretations and compared it to differing religious doctrines in other faiths. She stated such claims are irrelevant to U.S. law and public service.
The Mississippi legislature passed a law in 2015 banning the enforcement of foreign laws, often interpreted as an anti-Sharia measure, though opponents argued it was unnecessary. Ali recently posted on social media celebrating Arab American Heritage Month, expressing pride in her community and the state of Mississippi.
Source: Original Article
