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Person

Chiraag Bains

Nationality:

American
Occupation:

Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice and Equity
Political Party:

Democratic Party
Residence:

Washington, D.C.

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Chiraag Bains is Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice and Equity at the White House as of March 2022. Bains previously was a Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice and Guns Policy from January 2021 to March 2022. 1 2

In his role at the White House, Bains works to drive the Biden administration’s critical race theory-influenced “racial justice and equity agenda forward.” 3 Bains has claimed that “voter ID laws serve to suppress the vote of minority communities,” 4 alleged that “there is systemic bias, discrimination and racism in our criminal justice system,” 5 supported the creation of an “X” gender classification on U.S. passports, 6 and opposed the addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. Census. 7 8 9

Bains worked at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Obama administration. 10 He was senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for special litigation and a trial lawyer who prosecuted hate crimes, law enforcement-involved crimes, and human trafficking cases. 11 12 In this role, Bains co-wrote the Ferguson Report and sued Ferguson, Missouri, for allegedly unconstitutional policing and court practices. He also led the DOJ strategy team on bail and court fines and fees reform. 13

Prior to joining the Biden administration, Bains was a co-chair of the Sanders-Biden Unity Panel on Criminal Justice Reform 14 15 and a leadership in government fellow at the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations. 16

Biden Administration

Chiraag Bains has been a member of the Biden administration since January 2021. As of March 2022, Bains is Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council for Racial Justice and Equity at the White House. He was a Special Assistant to the President for Criminal Justice and Guns Policy from January 2021 to March 2022. 17 18

In his role at the White House, Bains works to “drive President Biden’s racial justice and equity agenda forward.” 19 In November 2021, he identified reliable and affordable high-speed internet as an “equity driver” in the Biden administration’s infrastructure law. 20

In February 2022, Bains participated in a discussion hosted by the left-of-center Center for American Progress (CAP) on actions taken by the Biden administration to center the critical race theory-inspired concept of racial equity in the federal government during the Biden administration. 21

In 2021, Baines called controversial left-of-center Department of Justice nominees Vanita Gupta and Kristen Clarke the “best choices for these critical jobs.” 22

Nongovernmental Work

Prior to joining the Biden administration, Bains was a co-chair the Sanders-Biden Unity Panel on Criminal Justice Reform, 23 24 a leadership in government fellow at the George Soros-funded Open Society Foundations, 25 the director of legal strategies at the left-wing Demos, where he worked on voting rights policies and supported the critical race theory-inspired concept of “racial justice,” 26 27 and a visiting fellow at Harvard Law School’s Criminal Justice Policy Program. 28

In 2020, Bains supported left-of-center changes to the American voting system including the establishment of a nationwide online voter registration (OVR) system and same day registration, making vote-by-mail “racially equitable,” and eliminating the requirement in some states for witnesses, notaries, or inclusion of a copy of photo identification to verify the identity of an individual casting a mail ballot. 29 Bains also testified before Congress claiming that the Democratic Party’s “For the People Act” would “advance racial equity” in 2019. 30

Bains has said that “voter ID laws serve to suppress the vote of minority communities,” 31 alleged that “there is systemic bias, discrimination and racism in our criminal justice system,” 32 and supported the creation of an “X” gender classification on U.S. passports. 33 He has opposed cross-referencing department of motor vehicles (DMV) voter registration databases with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to confirm voters’ citizenship status in New York and the opposed addition of a citizenship question on the 2020 U.S. Census. 34 35

Obama Administration

Chiraag Bains served in various roles at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) during the Obama administration. 36 He was senior counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for special litigation, appellate, housing and civil enforcement, voting and criminal sections from July 2014 until January 2017. From September 2010 to August 2014, he was a trial attorney in the criminal section where he prosecuted hate crimes, law enforcement-involved crimes, and human trafficking cases. 37 38

Bains co-wrote the Ferguson Report and sued Ferguson, Missouri, over allegedly unconstitutional policing and court practices. He also led the DOJ strategy team on bail and court fines and fees reform. 39 In 2015, Bains received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service. 40

Early Career

Prior to joining the Obama administration, Bains received a Paul and Daisy Soros Foundation Fellowship for New Americans in 2005 41 and was a law clerk to the chief counsel for Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). 42 He also held roles with left-of-center center Mississippi Center for Justice (MCJ), 43 the Southern Center for Human Rights, the left-of-center Vera Institute of Justice, and a fellowship at the Coro Center for Civic Leadership. 44

Political Activities and Donations

Chiraag Bains has made 25 Federal Election Commission (FEC)-reportable political contributions since 2018. He  donated funds to Joe Biden (D)’s presidential campaign and campaign committees, the left-wing People’s Action Power Unlimited, the unsuccessful 2020 presidential campaigns of Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and the unsuccessful congressional campaigns of Adair Boroughs (D-SC), Eric Ding (D-PA), and others. 45

Personal Information

Chiraag Bains received a bachelor of arts from Yale University where he was s a Truman Scholar, a masters of philosophy from the University of Cambridge where he was a Gates Scholar, and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. 46Bains was born in Ottawa, Canada, and became a U.S. citizen in 2000. 47 48

References

  1. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  2. “White House Announces Additional Policy Staff.” The White House. March 5, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/05/white-house-announces-additional-policy-staff/.
  3. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted October 26, 2021. Accesssed March 8, 2022. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains/status/1453160156674633728?cxt=HHwWgMC9xdPd1KooAAAA.
  4. Chiraag Bains and Laura Williamson. “The Attack on Vote-by-Mail: Weaponizing “Voter Fraud” Claims to Suppress the Vote.” Demos. April 14, 2020. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/policy-briefs/attack-vote-mail-weaponizing-voter-fraud-claims-suppress-vote.
  5. “94 Chiraag Bains.” Full Episode of Decarceration Nation. Episode 94. February 8, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://decarcerationnation.com/94-chiraag-bains/.
  6. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted October 27, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains.
  7. Chiraag Bains and Ben Berwick. “Notice Letter to Rensselaer County Board of Educations.” Demos. July 26, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/litigation/notice-letter-rensselaer-county-board-elections.
  8. Brenda Wright and Chiraag Bains. “Department of Commerce: Reject Adding a Citizenship Question to the 2020 Census Questionnaire.” Demos. August 7, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/testimony-and-public-comment/department-commerce-reject-adding-citizenship-question-2020-census.
  9. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted November 23, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022 . https://twitter.com/chiraagbains/status/1463216336054767617?cxt=HHwWgsC-wargsc4oAAAA.
  10. “Chiraag Bains.” Law Enforcement Action Partnership.” December 2017. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Chiraag-Bains2017.pdf.
  11. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  12. “White House Announces Additional Policy Staff.” The White House. March 5, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/05/white-house-announces-additional-policy-staff/.
  13. “Chiraag Bains, 2005.” Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows/chiraag-bains.
  14. “Combating the Climate Crisis and Pursuing Environmental Justice.” Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Recommendations. August 2020. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/UNITY-TASK-FORCE-RECOMMENDATIONS.pdf.
  15. “94 Chiraag Bains.” Full Episode of Decarceration Nation. Episode 94. February 8, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://decarcerationnation.com/94-chiraag-bains/.
  16. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  17. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  18. “White House Announces Additional Policy Staff.” The White House. March 5, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/05/white-house-announces-additional-policy-staff/.
  19. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted October 26, 2021. Accesssed March 8, 2022. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains/status/1453160156674633728?cxt=HHwWgMC9xdPd1KooAAAA.
  20.  “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted November 23, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains/status/1463216336054767617?cxt=HHwWgsC-wargsc4oAAAA.
  21. Cusick, Julia. “ADVISORY: Advancing Racial Equity: The Biden Administration’s Efforts in Its First Year and the Agenda Ahead.” Center for American Progress. February 14, 2022. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.americanprogress.org/press/advisory-advancing-racial-equity-the-biden-administrations-efforts-in-its-first-year-and-the-agenda-ahead/.
  22. [1] “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted January 6, 2021. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains/status/1346881126489600000?cxt=HHwWgMC5sfPPirElAAAA.
  23. “Combating the Climate Crisis and Pursuing Environmental Justice.” Biden-Sanders Unity Task Force Recommendations. August 2020. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://joebiden.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/UNITY-TASK-FORCE-RECOMMENDATIONS.pdf.
  24. “94 Chiraag Bains.” Full Episode of Decarceration Nation. Episode 94. February 8, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://decarcerationnation.com/94-chiraag-bains/.
  25. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  26. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  27. “Chiraag Bains.” Demos. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/chiraag-bains.
  28. “Chiraag Bains.” Law Enforcement Action Partnership.” December 2017. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Chiraag-Bains2017.pdf.
  29. Bains, Chiraag. “We Can Still Save Our Democracy Before November.” Demos. June 22, 2020. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/blog/we-can-still-save-our-democracy-november.
  30. Bains, Chiraag. “Written Testimony of Chiraag Bains to the House on H.R.1, the For the People Act.” Demos. February 14, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/testimony-and-public-comment/written-testimony-chiraag-bains-house-hr-1-people-act.
  31. [1] Chiraag Bains and Laura Williamson. “The Attack on Vote-by-Mail: Weaponizing “Voter Fraud” Claims to Suppress the Vote.” Demos. April 14, 2020. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/policy-briefs/attack-vote-mail-weaponizing-voter-fraud-claims-suppress-vote.
  32. “94 Chiraag Bains.” Full Episode of Decarceration Nation. Episode 94. February 8, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://decarcerationnation.com/94-chiraag-bains/.
  33. “Tweet.” Twitter. Posted October 27, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://twitter.com/chiraagbains
  34. Chiraag Bains and Ben Berwick. “Notice Letter to Rensselaer County Board of Educations.” Demos. July 26, 2019. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/litigation/notice-letter-rensselaer-county-board-elections.
  35. Brenda Wright and Chiraag Bains. “Department of Commerce: Reject Adding a Citizenship Question to the 2020 Census Questionnaire.” Demos. August 7, 2018. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.demos.org/testimony-and-public-comment/department-commerce-reject-adding-citizenship-question-2020-census.
  36. “Chiraag Bains.” Law Enforcement Action Partnership.” December 2017. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Chiraag-Bains2017.pdf.
  37. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  38. “White House Announces Additional Policy Staff.” The White House. March 5, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/03/05/white-house-announces-additional-policy-staff/.
  39. “Chiraag Bains, 2005.” Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows/chiraag-bains.
  40. “Chiraag Bains.” Law Enforcement Action Partnership.” December 2017. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://lawenforcementactionpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Chiraag-Bains2017.pdf
  41. “Chiraag Bains, 2005.” Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows/chiraag-bains.
  42. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  43. Bains, Chiraag. “Katrina: Why Legal Advocates Are Crucial for Victims of Disaster.” Huffpost. August 13, 2015. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/why-legal-advocates-are-crucial-for-victims-of-disaster_b_8065082.
  44. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  45. “Chiraag Bains.” Federal Election Commission Individual Contributions Lookup. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=chiraag%20bains.
  46. “Chiraag Bains.” LinkedIn. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiraagbains/.
  47. “Chiraag Bains, 2005.” Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowships for New Americans. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.pdsoros.org/meet-the-fellows/chiraag-bains.
  48. “Chiraag Bains.” Open Society Foundations. 2017. Accessed March 8, 2022. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/leadership-in-government-fellowship?past=1&page=2&fellow=chiraag-bains&filter_year=2018&filter_past_year=2017%2C2018%2C2016.
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