Hakeem Jeffries facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hakeem Jeffries
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Official portrait, 2021
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| House Minority Leader | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 |
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| Whip | Katherine Clark |
| Preceded by | Kevin McCarthy |
| Leader of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| Assumed office January 3, 2023 |
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| Deputy | Katherine Clark |
| Preceded by | Nancy Pelosi |
| Chair of the House Democratic Caucus | |
| In office January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023 |
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Joe Crowley |
| Succeeded by | Pete Aguilar |
| Co-Chair of the House Democratic Policy and Communications Committee | |
| In office January 3, 2017 – January 3, 2019 Serving with Cheri Bustos and David Cicilline
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| Leader | Nancy Pelosi |
| Preceded by | Steve Israel (chair) |
| Succeeded by | Matt Cartwright Debbie Dingell Ted Lieu |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 8th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Edolphus Towns (redistricting) |
| Member of the New York State Assembly from the 57th district |
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| In office January 1, 2007 – December 31, 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Roger Green |
| Succeeded by | Walter Mosley |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hakeem Sekou Jeffries
August 4, 1970 New York City, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Kennisandra Arciniegas-Jeffries
(m. 1997) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Hasan Kwame Jeffries (brother) Leonard Jeffries (uncle) |
| Education |
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| Website | |
Hakeem Sekou Jeffries (pronounced hah-KEEM; born August 4, 1970) is an American politician and lawyer. He has been the House Minority Leader since 2023. This means he is the top leader for the Democratic Party in the United States House of Representatives.
Jeffries has represented New York's 8th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2013. Before that, he was a member of the New York State Assembly from 2007 to 2012. He grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York City. After law school, he worked as a corporate lawyer before entering politics. In 2022, he became the first African American to lead a major political party in either part of the United States Congress.
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Early Life and Education
Hakeem Jeffries was born in New York City on August 4, 1970. His mother, Laneda, was a social worker, and his father, Marland, was a state counselor. He has one brother named Hasan. Jeffries grew up in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and has been a member of the Cornerstone Baptist Church his whole life.
He graduated from Midwood High School in 1988. Then, he went to Binghamton University and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1992. He also joined the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity there.
Jeffries continued his studies at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy, where he earned a Master of Public Policy degree in 1994. He then attended New York University School of Law. He graduated with high honors in 1997 and gave a speech at his graduation ceremony.
After law school, Jeffries worked as a law clerk for Judge Harold Baer Jr. He then worked at a law firm from 1998 to 2004. Later, he became a corporate lawyer for TV companies Viacom and CBS.
New York State Assembly
Jeffries served in the New York State Assembly for a district in Brooklyn from 2007 to 2012. During his time there, he helped create more than 70 new laws.
In 2007, Jeffries was one of the first people in New York to support Barack Obama for president. He said that seeing someone with the name "Barack Obama" get elected inspired him to run for office.
While in the Assembly, Jeffries focused on policing issues. In 2010, he helped pass a law that stopped police from collecting names and addresses of people who were stopped but not arrested during street searches. He also sponsored a law that changed how prison populations are counted for voting districts, making New York the second state to end this practice.
U.S. House of Representatives
Early Years in Congress (2013–2018)
Hakeem Jeffries was first elected to the United States House of Representatives in 2012. He started serving in January 2013.
In 2013, Jeffries introduced a bill to study making the Prison Ship Martyrs' Monument in Brooklyn part of the National Park System. This monument honors American patriots who died during the Revolutionary War. The House passed this bill in 2014.
He also helped pass the Slain Officer Family Support Act in 2015. This law helped families of police officers who died by extending tax deadlines for donations made to them. President Obama signed it into law.
In 2018, Jeffries was a key supporter of the First Step Act. This law made federal sentences less strict and helped people get out of prison earlier. It also stopped some harsh practices, like shackling women inmates during childbirth. He also helped pass the Music Modernization Act, which became law in 2018.
Jeffries continued a program called "Congress on Your Corner." He holds outdoor office hours near subway stations to meet people and hear their concerns directly.
Committee Work
When he first joined Congress, Jeffries served on the Budget Committee. Later, he joined the Judiciary Committee. He is also a long-time member of the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Leadership Roles (2018–Present)
Democratic Caucus Chair
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In November 2018, Jeffries was elected to lead the House Democratic Caucus. This made him the fifth-highest-ranking Democrat in the House. His term began in January 2019.
First Impeachment of President Donald Trump
In January 2020, Jeffries was chosen as one of seven House managers. These managers presented the case against President Donald Trump during his impeachment trial in the United States Senate. During his testimony, Jeffries famously quoted Biggie Smalls, saying, "and if you don't know, now you know."
House Democratic Leader
In November 2022, Jeffries was chosen as the new House Democratic Leader. He was the only candidate for the job and had the support of the outgoing Speaker, Nancy Pelosi. This made him the first African American to lead a major political party in either the House or Senate.
Working in the 118th Congress
When the 118th Congress started in January 2023, the House had to choose a new Speaker. Democrats voted for Jeffries to be Speaker. He received 212 votes from all Democrats on almost every vote. Republicans struggled to choose their Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, who was finally elected on the 15th vote.
After McCarthy was elected, Jeffries gave a speech called the "ABCs of Democracy." He listed words from A to Z that described what the government should and should not be. This speech was very popular online. Jeffries later announced he would write a book based on this speech.
Working with Both Parties
Jeffries has shown he can work with both Democrats and Republicans to get things done. In May 2023, he helped pass the Fiscal Responsibility Act. This law helped avoid a major financial crisis by dealing with the nation's debt.
In October 2023, Speaker McCarthy was removed from his position. Jeffries said that Democrats were willing to work with Republicans to find a new way forward. He wrote an article saying that a "bipartisan governing coalition" could help pass laws that many people supported.
In December 2023, Jeffries led House Democrats in voting for the National Defense Authorization Act. This bill included a pay raise for military members. In 2024, he also helped pass important spending bills to fund government departments. He worked to make sure programs like WIC (which helps families buy food) were protected.
Jeffries also helped pass a bill to reauthorize the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and a package to provide aid to Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. He emphasized that Democrats and Republicans needed to work together to defend democracy. He told 60 Minutes that House Democrats were "effectively governing as if we were in the majority."
In May 2024, when some Republicans tried to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, Jeffries and other Democratic leaders voted to support Johnson. They did this because Johnson had helped pass important funding bills and supported aid to Ukraine. This showed Jeffries's power in Congress.
Fundraising and Party Leadership
Since becoming leader, Jeffries has been very active in raising money for the Democratic Party. In 2023, he raised over $113 million for Democratic candidates and campaigns. He also played a key role in helping former representative Tom Suozzi win a special election in New York in 2024.
Jeffries gave a speech at the 2024 Democratic National Convention. He spoke about unity and endorsed Kamala Harris for president.
Caucus Memberships
- Congressional Progressive Caucus
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Ukrainian Caucus
- U.S.–Japan Caucus
Political Views
Jeffries is known for his ability to work with different groups of Democrats and with Republicans. He is considered a moderate politician. He has said he wants to work with Republicans "whenever possible" but will also stand up against extreme ideas. He also has good relationships with more progressive Democrats.
Former U.S. Representative Bob Goodlatte, a Republican, said that Jeffries is good at talking to anyone in a helpful way to get things done. He called Jeffries "open to compromise."
Jeffries has been called a "rising star" in politics. He was appointed to a task force on over-criminalization and was the whip for the Congressional Black Caucus. He also plays baseball on the Congressional Baseball Team.
Gun Laws
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Jeffries supports stronger background checks for people who want to buy guns. He also supports a ban on assault weapons.
Environment
In 2024, Jeffries expressed concerns about a plan to charge drivers for entering certain parts of New York City (called congestion pricing). He supported pausing the plan.
Personal Life
Jeffries is married to Kennisandra Arciniegas-Jeffries, who is a social worker. They have two sons and live in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Jeffries is a Baptist.
His younger brother, Hasan Kwame Jeffries, is a history professor at Ohio State University.
Images for kids
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Jeffries at a pro-Israel conference in Washington, D.C., on October 17, 2023
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Jeffries during the 115th Congress
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See also
