The Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan welcomes Saima Shafiq Mohsin as the new Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official of the district, following the stepping down of former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider, who announced his resignation at the end of his three-year service in the Office on January 21, 2021. Saima Shafiq Mohsin will be the very first Muslim in American History to be appointed as United States Attorney, according to federal officials and two of the leaders of the Muslim advocacy Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR). She will officially take over in the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan on February 2, 2021, by virtue of the Vacancies Reform Act. She shall remain in the position for 300 days, or until a presidential nominee is confirmed into the position by the Senate.
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Educational Background and Teachings
Also believed to be the first Pakistani-born American to serve as United States Attorney, Saima Mohsin brings diversity into an important position in the state. Apart from being Muslim, she is also an immigrant of Asian descent. U.S. Attorney Mohsin is a graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Economics. She subsequently graduated from the Rutgers Law School in Camden, where she received her Juris Doctorate. U.S. Attorney Mohsin has also served as an Instructor at the National Advocacy Center and has taught Basic Trial Advocacy on several occasions.
Legal Career
U.S. Attorney Mohsin is a career prosecutor with outstanding and significant experience in handling a wide variety of cases. She previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Trial Division of the New York County District Attorney. Prior to becoming a federal prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Saima Mohsin was a part of the Attorney General’s Office for New Jersey as a Deputy Attorney General in the Organized Crime and Racketeering Section. In this capacity, she was responsible for prosecuting complex organized crime cases and overseeing the department’s day-to-day operation.
With more than 20 years of experience as a career prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Mohsin has extended practical knowledge and background in prosecutions and proceedings in both federal and state courts, where she has consistently served to protect the public from a number of vicious crimes, including child exploitation, corruption, drug trafficking, fraud, human trafficking, organized criminal activity, theft, and other violent crimes. United States Attorney Saima Mohsin first joined the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in 2002, initially serving as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Criminal Division of the Office, particularly in the Violent and Organized Crime Unit, in the Drug Task Force, and the General Crimes Unit. In these areas, U.S. Attorney Mohsin performed and accomplished various duties and operations, including the use of intelligence-driven strategies to investigate and prosecute violent and organized crimes. As a member of the Drug Task Force of the Office, U.S. Attorney Mohsin also once focused on prosecuting cases that involved a large-scale distribution of narcotics, as well as in the investigation and bringing about of charges against kingpins and distributors of illegal and dangerous drugs, especially those that are used in relation to violent criminal activities.
Prior to taking on the duties of Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, Saima Shafiq Mohsin served as First Assistant U.S. Attorney to former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider. As second in command, Acting U.S. Attorney served in the Senior Management Team as a chief advisor to former U.S. Attorney Schneider. In this capacity, she oversaw the Office’s civil litigations, criminal prosecutions, administrative operations, along with the appellate division of the Office. U.S. Attorney Mohsin served in the position beginning in March of 2018 until she was appointed as Acting U.S. Attorney upon the resignation of former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider.
The Work of Acting U.S. Attorney Mohsin with former U.S. Attorney Schneider
In the past three years of their tandem, former U.S. Attorney Schneider and now Acting U.S. Attorney Mohsin has led the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan in overcoming tremendous challenges, including the longest federal government shutdown in American history due to the global pandemic and in the greatest rise in violent crime and civil unrest within the nation since 1967. Former U.S. Attorney Schneider commended Acting U.S. Attorney Mohsin for being a dynamic trial lawyer and a talented manager who has faithfully enforced the law and has continuously supported the Office’s law enforcement partners protecting the district and its citizens. As the first woman, immigrant, and Muslim to be appointed as United States Attorney, Matthew Schneider claimed that U.S. Attorney Mohsin’s service is truly historic. Former U.S. Attorney Schneider further added that he is truly confident that Saima Mohsin will be an outstanding representative and defender of the Eastern District of Michigan.
Office Jurisdiction
As the incumbent Chief Federal Law Enforcement Official, Saima Shafiq Mohsin will lead the Office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, along with its over 245 employees. In line with this, she oversees approximately 120 Assistant U.S. Attorneys. They are currently serving within the three different branches of the Office in Bay City, Detroit, and in the City of Flint. Moreover, the United States Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction over 34 counties – covering the tip of the Lower Peninsula to the Ohio border, and is also responsible for serving and protecting approximately 6.5 million people. Acting United States Attorney Saima Shafiq Mohsin has expressed her deep commitment to fulfilling the core mission of the Office, which is known as the faithful enforcement of the law and the seeking of justice for all. With this, the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan is widely recognized for many significant prosecutions involving civil rights, drug trafficking, environmental crime, financial fraud, international terrorism, public corruption, and violent crime numerous other criminal prosecutions and civil litigations. Under the leadership of now Top Federal Prosecutor Saima Mohsin, the Office shall continue to prosecute federal crimes such as illegal use of firearms, financial fraud, narcotics, and public corruption, among others. Additionally, the Office shall continue to recover debts owed to the United States, as well as manage civil cases and represent and defend the interest of the United States in litigations within the district.
Contact Details
Full Name: Saima Shafiq Mohsin
District/State: Eastern District of Michigan
Public email ID: saima.mohsin@usdoj.gov
Detroit Main Office
United States Attorney’s Office
211 W. Fort Street, Suite 2001
Detroit, MI 48226
(313) 226-9100
Main
(313) 226-2311
Fax
(313) 226-9560
TTD
Flint Branch Office
United States Attorney’s Office
210 Federal Building
600 Church Street
Flint, MI 48502
(810) 766-5177
Main
(810) 766-5427
Fax
(810) 766-5100
TTD
Bay City Branch Office
United States Attorney’s Office
101 First Street, Suite 200
Bay City, MI 48708
(989) 895-5712
Main
(989) 895-5790
Fax
(989) 895-2501
TTD
Public Information Officer
Gina Balaya
United States Attorney’s Office
211 W. Fort Street
Detroit, MI
(313) 226-9758
Main
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Updated: February 15, 2021
Dawn N. Ison is the next State’s Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Updated: March 26, 2023