By Rebecca Heath
Features Editor
Jacqueline C. Romero ‘93 announced her resignation as the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on Monday, Feb. 17.
Romero was appointed to the role by former President Joe Biden in 2022 following a tenure as assistant U.S. attorney for the EDPA. She was the first woman of color and LGBTQ+ individual to hold the title.
The chief federal law enforcement officer oversaw one of the largest districts in the nation in her capacity. Romero focused on the prosecution of violent crime, fraud and civil rights violations, as well as anti-crime efforts and community engagement during her tenure.
“When I came here, almost 20 years ago now, it was to do the job, to be a prosecutor. I didn’t come here for a title,” Romero said in a press release. “But it has been the absolute honor of my life to hold this title of U.S. Attorney.”
Romero received her bachelor of arts in English and political science at the College. As a first-generation student “unsure of [herself] in so many ways,” she credits the mentorship she received from former Vice President of Academic Affairs Claire Hardgrove and professor of journalism Kim Pearson with shaping her career path.
Romero went on to pursue her J.D. from Rutgers Law School, where she graduated in 1996. She kick-started her federal career while serving as an attorney for the Department of Justice in 1998, and later served as senior counsel for the U.S. Mint. Romero then spent 16 years serving as the assistant U.S. attorney of the Philadelphia region, which led to her 2022 appointment as U.S. Attorney for the district.
“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,” Romero told The Signal. “On a similar note, I'm proud of how we engaged and collaborated with our law enforcement partners. Our relationships have never been better.”
“I said I wanted to be the ‘People’s U.S. Attorney’ — arriving in neighborhoods and blocks that have rarely seen the Department of Justice as a true partner,” Romero wrote in a post on her LinkedIn page. “I also did my best to set a tone for my law enforcement partners — a tone of collaboration and always doing the right thing for the right reasons, even when it’s not popular. I move on today with my head held high and with faith in the many ethical career prosecutors and leaders I leave behind to carry the torch of justice.”
Romero is one of several U.S. attorneys appointed by Biden who announced their resignation Monday, according to Reuters. Other U.S. attorneys resigned from their positions last week, the outlet reported.
On Feb. 12, the Trump administration sent termination letters to a number of Biden-appointed U.S. attorneys across the nation. President Trump said on Wednesday that he has instructed the Department of Justice to terminate all the remaining U.S. attorneys appointed by Biden, according to Reuters.
While Romero did not share the reason for her resignation, she said “It is customary for U.S. Attorneys to resign at the beginning of a new administration and/or for the President to terminate the relationship and appoint a new U.S. Attorney.”
Nelson S.T. Thayer, Jr., the EDPA’s first assistant U.S. attorney, will replace Romero as the district’s chief prosecutor at this time.
When asked about her next steps, Romero said, “the future looks bright, and I am looking forward to the next challenge, whatever form it takes.”
