Colorado’s First Muslim State Senator Advertises Paid Capitol Internship Requiring Applicants to “Identify as a Muslim and/or as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian”

Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh (D), celebrated as the first Muslim elected to the Colorado legislature, is openly advertising a paid legislative internship at the state Capitol that explicitly limits applicants by religion and national origin.

The flyer for the MENASA & Muslim Joint Legislative Caucus program states that one of the primary qualifications is to “Identify as a Muslim and/or as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.”

This is not a preference or an “interest in the community” soft criterion. It is listed first among the requirements for a position that offers a $1,000 stipend, involves working in person part-time in Sen. Jodeh’s and Rep. Yara Zokaie’s offices during the 2027 legislative session (early January through mid-May), and requires resumes and cover letters to be sent to a Colorado General Assembly email address ([email protected]) by November 30, 2026.

Other listed qualifications include being a current undergraduate with a minimum 3.5 GPA, interest in “policy, social change/justice, and the legislative process,” and flexibility for a fast-paced environment.

The posting was shared on Jodeh’s Instagram and Facebook accounts under the branding of the MENASA (Middle East | North Africa | South Asia) & Muslim Joint Legislative Caucus, which she co-founded with Rep. Zokaie.

BREAKING: Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh is advertising an internship program where you must be muslim or north african.

How is this legal? https://t.co/8OjccjWELp

— Eyal Yakoby (@EYakoby) November 11, 2026

The advertisement quickly generated controversy after the popular conservative account Libs of TikTok highlighted the qualifications Wednesday.

The account accused the Colorado lawmaker of advertising a discriminatory internship and tagged the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.

“This is illegal,” the account declared.

The controversy raises an obvious question: Why should religious or ethnic identity determine whether an American college student can even qualify for a taxpayer-supported legislative opportunity?

The Daily Caller also reported on the controversy, noting that the announcement explicitly prioritized religious and regional identity instead of merely requesting an interest in serving those communities.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of religion and national origin. The law covers state and local governments.

Paid internships that involve control over work, on-site performance, and compensation are generally treated as employment under EEOC guidance and court precedent, unlike purely volunteer arrangements.

Colorado’s own anti-discrimination statute (C.R.S. § 24-34-402) similarly bars discrimination in employment and related training programs based on religion, race, national origin, or ancestry, and restricts advertisements that express discriminatory eligibility requirements.

Narrow bona fide occupational qualification (BFOQ) exceptions exist, but they are extremely limited and do not apply to a general legislative internship in a state capitol office.

Religious organizations can prefer members of their own faith under Title VII; a state legislative caucus internship paid with public resources is not that.

Jim Hᴏft is the founder and editor of The Gateway Pundit, one of the top conservative news outlets in America. Jim was awarded the Reed Irvine Accuracy in Media Award in 2013 and is the proud recipient of the Breitbart Award for Excellence in Online Journalism from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in May 2016.

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