Who Is Mora Namdar? Trump Hires Attorney, Beauty Salon Owner To Decide On Foreign Visas

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Mora Namdar was sworn in as the US State Department's new assistant secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs after working on US foreign policy in the Middle East and North Africa within the agency.

The US Department of State Consular Affairs posted on X on December 24,“We are excited to welcome Assistant Secretary Mora Namdar to the Bureau of Consular Affairs!”

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"A/S Namdar was sworn in this week to implement President Trump's priorities, including the advancement of policies that make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous," the department said.

In her new role, the 38-year-old would decide the fates of migrants/foreigners applying for visas who have been critical of the Trump administration.

She will oversee visa approvals, issuing passports, and will be responsible for the welfare of US citizens overseas, the Independent UK reported.

Who is Mora Namdar?

Namdar, who is the daughter of Iranian immigrants, previously did the job on an interim basis during Trump's first term in 2020.

The US Department of State stated that Namdar is an attorney licensed in both Texas and Washington, DC. She is a "native Texan who is the child of Iranian immigrants, speaks Farsi."

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Mora Namdar's education: She earned her JD from American University Washington College of Law and her Master's degree in International Affairs from American University's School of International Service.

She completed her undergraduate degrees in Political Science and International Affairs from SMU in Dallas with minors in Philosophy, Fine Art and Human Rights. She studied abroad at Oxford University and is an avid painter.

A beauty-salon owner

According to Daily Beast, she owns a mini-chain of beauty salons called Bam in her native Texas, with locations in the West Village in her hometown of Dallas, as well as in Fort Worth and Plano.

In an interview with Voyage Dallas magazine, she said the original salon was intended to be“gorgeous, sophisticated, and evoke dreams of a Parisian heaven in Dallas."

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"I commissioned a towering 20-foot flower wall comprised of handmade individual flowers which greet you as you walk in the door. Soon enough, my vision for BAM became a reality in the Uptown Neighborhood of West Village in Dallas and we were lucky enough to be named“The Prettiest Place to get Pretty in Dallas” by D magazine when we opened," she had said in the interview.

The beauty-salon chain has diversified into hair extensions, starting at $325, events, off-site events, including running lash and braid bars for $100-a-person and home visits, the Daily Beast reported.

An attorney

Namdar also ran a one-woman law firm. On Christmas Day, she announced the firm was no longer active. "While Ms. Namdar is serving the American people in government service, Namdar Law PLLC will not be in active practice," the statement read.

Namdar was also one of the contributors to the Project 2025, which has heavily influenced Trump's second term. She reportedly crafted a section about the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), according to the Columbia Journalism Review.

What does State Department say about Mora Namdar?

According to her biography on the State Department's website, Namdar is an expert on US national security and international human rights issues.

Previously, Namdar served as:

1. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs,

2. Vice President of Legal, Compliance and Risk at the United States Agency for Global Media (USAGM)

3. Senior Advisor at the US Department of State

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"Before rejoining government service, Namdar founded and ran a successful law practice, worked for a Fortune 500 company, and created and ran several successful businesses," the US Department said.

It added, "She was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the American University-Washington College of Law's National Security Law Brief."

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