Romero is the first woman of color to lead Pennsylvania’s eastern district.

In a unanimous vote Monday, Jacqueline Romero was confirmed as the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, becoming the first woman of color to ever serve in that position.

Romero was nominated by President Joe Biden for the post in April, following recommendations from Pennsylvania US Senators Bob Casey (D) and Pat Toomey (R).

“Having served as an Assistant US Attorney already in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Jacqueline Romero is well suited to lead the office,” Toomey said in a statement. “Her academic and legal background will similarly benefit the Commonwealth as she works to uphold our laws.”

She will oversee the 140-person office that deals with civil rights cases and other matters in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Lancaster counties.

Romero has served as an assistant US attorney in the eastern district since 2006. Her work has spanned affirmative and defense civil litigation, criminal prosecutions, and appeals. 

Prior to that she was Senior Counsel to the US Mint and also served as a trial attorney in the commercial litigation branch of the Justice Department.

Romero formerly served as president of the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania and she is a longtime member of the LGBTQ Bar Association. She received her J.D. from Rutgers Law School in 1996.