Jacqueline C. Romero made history as the first LGBTQ+ person and the first woman of color to serve as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Appointed in 2022, she led efforts to strengthen community engagement, enhance collaboration among law enforcement agencies and expand the Allentown office to better serve the region. As she steps down from her role, Romero reflects on her tenure, the progress made in LGBTQ+ representation within the legal field, and the challenges that lie ahead. In an email interview with PGN, she discussed her proudest accomplishments, the power of visibility and her advice for the next generation of attorneys. Some responses have been edited for length or clarity.
Can you comment, generally, on the circumstances of your departure and why you will no longer be in your post?
It is customary for U.S. Attorneys to step down when a new administration begins.
You were the first LGBTQ+ person and first woman of color to hold your title. What does it mean for you to hold such a high-ranking role for as long as you did?
Being U.S. Attorney is one of the highest honors and biggest responsibilities that a lawyer can have. You set the tone and priorities for law enforcement in your entire district. Judging by the welcome reception I received in the community, it meant a lot for the LGBTQ+ community to have one of its own in that position.
Besides being the first person with these identities to have this role, what would you say were your biggest accomplishments?
I am most proud of our community engagement efforts — not “outreach,” which tends to be a one-and-done effort, but true community engagement, which requires consistency, being willing to have difficult conversations, being accountable, being transparent, and making constant efforts to build relationships. My team showed up again and again, and the community took notice. We created the type of Department of Justice that is welcome at the community table.
On a similar note, I’m proud of how we engaged and collaborated with our law enforcement partners. Our relationships have never been better. You can go through my press releases and see that most cases were worked by multiple agencies — ATF working with FBI, DEA, HSI, IRS and/or SEC. We worked together, shared intelligence, followed the money and brought focused, data-driven prosecutions designed to root out the worst drivers of violence in our community and seize the profits of their criminal behavior. For example, when carjackings were overwhelming the district, we quickly [set up] a task force and tackled that problem, often uncovering sophisticated criminal organizations laundering large amounts of money. When fentanyl was claiming lives, we collaborated with DEA through its Operation Overdrive, while also going after doctors and pharmacists acting as pill mills, tracking the importation of harmful [addictive] drugs like xylazine, holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their failure to flag suspicious sales, and following the movement of laundered money through banks. That amount of effort requires true partnership and communication between all law enforcement agencies. The U.S. Attorney sets the tone for those relationships.
Finally, I’m incredibly proud of the work we did to expand our Allentown office to better serve the needs of our northern counties. Not only did we upgrade and increase the blueprint of the physical space of that office, but we hired several new, experienced prosecutors who have deep roots in that area.
Back in 2023, you told us that navigating your field with your intersecting identities was a strength for you. How do you anticipate using this strength as you depart your current office and move on to other endeavors? Furthermore, can you comment on your future plans?
I haven’t made any final decisions on my next role just yet. I know that the sense of community, understanding, empathy and resilience I feel as a member of the LGBTQ+ community will always be a source of strength in anything I choose to do.
You also told us that “visibility saves lives.” Is this a phrase you still believe in and can you elaborate on your feelings?
100%. You can be sure that there is an LGBTQ+ person somewhere right now reading this article and finding hope and inspiration, maybe even dreaming of becoming U.S. Attorney one day. Without visibility, we don’t know what the possibilities are, and we may even stop hoping for them.
What do you think has changed regarding LGBTQ+ representation in the legal field?
There are certainly more “out” attorneys than when I was a young lawyer years ago. Back then, folks feared discrimination in the workplace because there were [fewer] legal protections. There are also more law firms and organizations willing to challenge laws and restrictions that impact the civil rights of LGBTQ+ people.
You previously worked with the Philadelphia LGBTQ Bar Association. How do you think the work of organizations like this will change in the immediate future? What advice do you have for them?
With the uptick in legal challenges to the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals, I would expect to see these organizations mobilizing and leading the efforts to preserve civil rights protections. I don’t believe they need my advice. The LGBTQ+ community has shown its resilience across centuries of challenges. The community is well poised to meet future obstacles with grace.
What advice do you have for LGBTQ+ people entering your field in the immediate future?
My advice to all young lawyers is to find an area of law that speaks to their passions and to put the time in to do it better than anyone else. Whatever job you choose, you will be spending most of your days doing that job. It really should be a job that you love, a job that wakes you up in the middle of the night with great ideas for tomorrow. Also, I have sworn in dozens of Assistant U.S. Attorneys and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys over the last few years, and I had one simple message for them all: “Do the right thing, for the right reasons, every single time.” That is a message I think we can all apply in our everyday lives, whatever our career choice may be.
