Julie Su
American attorney and government official (born 1969)
title: "Julie Su" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["1969-births", "american-politicians-of-taiwanese-descent", "american-politicians-of-chinese-descent", "21st-century-american-women-lawyers", "21st-century-american-lawyers", "biden-administration-cabinet-members", "california-lawyers", "deputy-mayors-of-new-york-city", "harvard-law-school-alumni", "living-people", "macarthur-fellows", "members-of-the-cabinet-of-the-united-states-of-chinese-descent", "stanford-university-alumni", "state-cabinet-secretaries-of-california", "united-states-deputy-secretaries-of-labor", "united-states-secretaries-of-labor", "wisconsin-lawyers", "women-in-new-york-(state)-politics"] description: "American attorney and government official (born 1969)" topic_path: "law" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julie_Su" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary American attorney and government official (born 1969) ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Julie Su |
| native_name | |
| native_name_lang | zh-Hant |
| image | Julie Su Portrait.jpg |
| caption | Official portrait, 2021 |
| office | Deputy Mayor of New York City for Economic Justice |
| term_start1 | January 1, 2026 |
| 1blankname1 | Mayor |
| 1namedata1 | Zohran Mamdani |
| predecessor1 | position created |
| office2 | United States Secretary of Labor |
| termlabel2 | Acting |
| president2 | Joe Biden |
| term_start2 | March 11, 2023 |
| term_end2 | January 20, 2025 |
| predecessor2 | Marty Walsh |
| successor2 | Lori Chavez-DeRemer |
| office3 | 37th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor |
| president3 | Joe Biden |
| term_start3 | July 17, 2021 |
| term_end3 | January 20, 2025 |
| predecessor3 | Patrick Pizzella |
| successor3 | Keith E. Sonderling |
| office4 | Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency |
| governor4 | Gavin Newsom |
| term_start4 | January 7, 2019 |
| term_end4 | July 17, 2021 |
| predecessor4 | David Lanier |
| successor4 | Natalie Palugyai |
| birth_date | |
| birth_place | Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| party | Democratic |
| education | Stanford University (BA) |
| Harvard University (JD) | |
| module | {{Infobox Chinese |
| child | yes |
| t | 蘇維思 |
| s | 苏维思 |
| p | Sū Wéisī |
| w | Su4 Wei2-ssu1 |
| myr | Sū Wéisz |
| mi | |
| :: |
| name = Julie Su | native_name = | native_name_lang = zh-Hant | image = Julie Su Portrait.jpg | caption = Official portrait, 2021 | office = Deputy Mayor of New York City for Economic Justice | term_start1 = January 1, 2026 | 1blankname1 = Mayor | 1namedata1 = Zohran Mamdani | predecessor1 = position created | office2 = United States Secretary of Labor | termlabel2 = Acting | president2 = Joe Biden | term_start2 = March 11, 2023 | term_end2 = January 20, 2025 | predecessor2 = Marty Walsh | successor2 = Lori Chavez-DeRemer | office3 = 37th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor | president3 = Joe Biden | term_start3 = July 17, 2021 | term_end3 = January 20, 2025 | predecessor3 = Patrick Pizzella | successor3 = Keith E. Sonderling | office4 = Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency | governor4 = Gavin Newsom | term_start4 = January 7, 2019 | term_end4 = July 17, 2021 | predecessor4 = David Lanier | successor4 = Natalie Palugyai | birth_date = | birth_place = Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | party = Democratic | education = Stanford University (BA) Harvard University (JD) | module = {{Infobox Chinese | child = yes | t = 蘇維思 | s = 苏维思 | p = Sū Wéisī | w = Su4 Wei2-ssu1 | myr = Sū Wéisz | mi =
Julie Ann Su (Chinese: 蘇維思; born February 19, 1969) is an American attorney and government official who served as acting United States Secretary of Labor from March 11, 2023 to January 20, 2025. Su is currently serving as the Deputy Mayor of New York City for Economic Justice in the Zohran Mamdani administration. She also served as the 37th United States Deputy Secretary of Labor from July 17, 2021 to January 20, 2025. Before assuming that post, Su was the California Labor Secretary, serving under Governor Gavin Newsom from 2019 to 2021, and was the California Labor Commissioner, overseeing California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE), under Governor Jerry Brown from 2011 to 2018.
She became acting secretary of labor on March 11, 2023, following the departure of incumbent Marty Walsh from the role. In February 2023, President Joe Biden officially nominated Su to be his permanent appointee to fill the position. After her nomination, Su's confirmation stalled in the Senate; however, Su was retained in an acting capacity for the duration of the Biden administration, which the Government Accountability Office (GAO) allowed.
Early life and education
Su was born in Madison, Wisconsin, as a second-generation American. Her mother, unable to afford a ticket on a passenger ship, came to the United States on a cargo ship from China; her father is from Taiwan. She graduated from Whitney High School in Cerritos, California. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stanford University in 1991, double majoring in political science and economics. She later earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School.
Legal career
Su started her legal career at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center (later known as Advancing Justice Los Angeles), a non-profit civil rights organization, where she served as a Litigation Director.
Su was the lead attorney for the El Monte Thai garment slavery case. As the lead for civil case brought by the El Monte garment workers, Su successfully pursued a legal theory that held manufacturers responsible for the wage theft, as well as the operators who actually kept the garment workers captive. She and other activists also petitioned for the workers to be able to stay in the United States under a visa program for those who cooperate with the government in criminal trials. This led to the creation of the T visa for victims of human trafficking.
California government
During Jerry Brown's tenure as governor, Su headed California's Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) as the California Labor Commissioner. Under Governor Gavin Newsom, Su served as Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency.
United States Department of Labor
Deputy Secretary of Labor
In November 2020, Su was named as a potential candidate to serve as Secretary of Labor in the Biden administration. Su's prospective nomination was pushed by AAPI political leaders and activists, including the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC).
Conversely, she was opposed by business groups and congressional Republicans. Opponents criticized her leadership of California's unemployment agency during the COVID-19 pandemic, when over a million legitimate applicants had their claims delayed or frozen, while up to $31 billion was sent to fraudulent claimants. Opposition also centered on her enforcement of California's controversial employment law, AB 5.
On February 10, 2021, Su was nominated by President Biden to be the Deputy Secretary of Labor under Secretary Marty Walsh. Asian-American leaders, including members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, had lobbied the Biden administration to appoint her as Deputy Secretary after she wasn't chosen to lead the department.
The Senate HELP Committee held hearings on Su's nomination on March 16, 2021. The committee reported her nomination favorably to the Senate floor on April 21, 2021. On July 13, 2021, Su was confirmed to the role by the Senate in a 50–47 vote.
Secretary of Labor nomination
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Secretary_of_Labor_Julie_Su_listens_to_White_House_Director_of_Public_Engagement_Steve_Benjamin_2024_(53803299340).jpg" caption="Su with Senior Advisor to the President [[Stephen K. Benjamin]] in 2024"] ::
After it was reported in 2023 that Walsh would leave the role, Su was expected to serve as acting Secretary of Labor in his absence. After Walsh's resignation announcement, members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus called on Biden to nominate Su as Walsh's permanent successor, citing the lack of Asian-Americans in Biden's cabinet. On February 28, 2023, President Joe Biden nominated Su to serve as the United States Secretary of Labor.
Su's nomination faced challenges on both sides of the aisle, due to the reluctance of Senator Joe Manchin to support her, as well as Republican criticism of her handling of COVID unemployment relief funding in California, wherein an estimated $32 billion meant to safeguard unemployed Californians during the pandemic ended up being paid out fraudulently. She also faced criticism for attempting to use her position as Acting Secretary of Labor to forgive $29 billion of the federal Covid loans California received prior to the fraud. The confirmation process stalled in the Senate due to a lack of votes necessary for confirmation.
Su's nomination expired at the end of 2023, though Biden renominated her in January 2024. On February 27, 2024, the Senate HELP Committee advanced Su's nomination in an 11-10 vote. She remained acting secretary for the remainder of the Biden administration.
New York City government
On December 19, 2025, Su was appointed to the newly-created position of Deputy Mayor of New York City for Economic Justice in the Zohran Mamdani administration. She assumed office on January 1, 2026.
Awards
Works
- "Making the Invisible Visible: The Garment Industry's Dirty Laundry" University of Iowa Journal on Gender, Race & Justice (winter 1997–1998)
- "Critical Coalitions," (with Eric Yamamoto) Critical Race Theory: An Anthology
- "Workers at the Crossfire: Immigration Enforcement to Preserve Capital," in Unfinished Liberation (Joy James, ed. Colorado University Press 1999)
- Social Justice: Professionals, Communities and Law (Martha Mahoney, John O. Calmore, Stephanie M. Wildman 2003).
References
References
- (2006). "Sweatshop Slaves: Asian Americans in the Garment Industry". Center for Labor Research and Education, [[University of California, Los Angeles]].
- LWDA, State of California, Labor and Workforce Development Agebcy. "Secretary Julie A. Su Bio".
- (February 11, 2021). "Editorial: California's unemployment system collapsed on Julie Su's watch".
- "Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su".
- "Asian Americans Advancing Justice - LA".
- (February 7, 2023). "Marty Walsh to depart from Biden Cabinet for job atop hockey players' union".
- "Acting Secretary of Labor Julie A. Su".
- (February 28, 2023). "President Biden Nominates Julie Su for Secretary of the Department of Labor". [[The White House]].
- Niedzwiadek, Nick. (2023-09-21). "Su prevails in GOP challenge to her status as acting Labor chief".
- Abramsky, Sasha. (2021-03-09). "Meet Julie Su, California's Fighter for Workers".
- (December 10, 2020). "California labor secretary in serious contention for Biden Cabinet".
- School, Stanford Law. (2018-10-26). "Stanford Law School Honors Julie Su and David Owens with Public Service Awards".
- Schmidt, Bob. (Sep 16, 2011). "Newsmaker {{!}} Julie Su".
- "Secretary: Julie A. Su {{!}} LWDA".
- "The El Monte Sweatshop Slavery Cases". Southwestern Journal of International Law.
- "El Monte Sweatshop: Operation, Raid, and Legacy".
- (November 11, 2020). "Who Are Contenders for Biden's Cabinet?". The New York Times.
- Yglesias, Matthew. (October 15, 2020). "Who would Joe Biden pick to fill his Cabinet?".
- Chen, Shawna. (December 19, 2020). "Asian American lawmakers urge Biden to name AAPI Cabinet secretary".
- Lightman, David. (March 16, 2021). "California labor secretary grilled over unemployment fraud. Some don't like her answers". [[The Sacramento Bee]].
- McGreevy, Patrick. (January 25, 2021). "California officials say unemployment fraud now totals more than $11 billion".
- (January 26, 2021). "CA EDD admits paying as much as $31 billion in unemployment funds to criminals".
- (December 4, 2020). "Inside Newsom's new regional shutdown".
- Park, Jeong. (July 14, 2021). "California labor secretary overcomes unemployment complaints, will join Biden administration". [[The Sacramento Bee]].
- (February 10, 2021). "President Biden Announces Additional Members of His Energy and Jobs Team".
- "PN122 — Julie A. Su — Department of Labor".
- (July 13, 2021). "On the Nomination (Confirmation: Julie A. Su, of California, to be Deputy Secretary of Labor)".
- (February 8, 2023). "Biden's Labor Secretary Walsh to depart, reportedly to head up hockey union". [[Reuters]].
- (February 8, 2023). "Biden's about to have a Cabinet opening. Asian American lawmakers have a favorite.". Politico.
- Nichols, Hans. (April 13, 2023). "Manchin's concerns have Biden's pick for Labor looking doubtful".
- Vazquez, Maegan. (April 20, 2023). "Takeaways from Julie Su's confirmation hearing on her nomination to be the next labor secretary".
- (January 8, 2024). "Biden renominates Julie Su for labor secretary after Senate declined to confirm her for ten months". [[The Associated Press]].
- Timotija, Filip. (February 27, 2024). "Senate panel advances Biden's Labor secretary nominee Julie Su". [[The Hill (newspaper).
- Zaveri, Mihir. (December 19, 2025). "Mamdani to Name Deputy Mayors for Housing and Economic Justice".
- "New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani picks former U.S. labor leader Julie Su as deputy mayor for economic justice".
- "Get Involved!- Slavery and Trafficking".
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