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Sewa to Congress: Rakhi Israni Singh’s Immigrant Roots Shape Her Run in California’s 14th District
A first-time politician coming from an immigrant background, Israni said that it was important to think about how immigration policies can be strengthened as in the current context it wasn’t “efficient.”
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Shinjini Ghosh - Mon, 11, May 2026
- 14:36 EDT
- 30
Rakhi Israni / Courtesy: LinkedIn
Washington: With a background rooted in “sewa” or service, community building and a deep sense of giving back to the society, Rakhi Israni Singh, a lawyer and educator is now running for California’s 14th Congressional District.
A daughter of immigrants, Israni said that when her parents immigrated to the United States in 1967, there were not many Indian Americans in Houston at the time. It was the need for a sense of belonging that led to her parents participate in a range of community building activities.
Also Read: Immigrant roots power Israni’s bid, earns key Milpitas backing
“Growing up, I ended up going to a lot of youth camps and participated in different sewa activities involving the community. Eventually, this left a big imprint on me about giving back and influencing, impacting or inspiring others to be a part of the community and to give back,” Israni who is running from the Democratic party said.
The idea of bringing people together and working towards being inclusive, is what was important, Israni said.
While the special elections to replace former Congressman Eric Salwell, are scheduled to be on August 18, the Democratic primaries are set to be held on June 16. The primary for the permanent seat will be held on June 2.
After attending law and business schools in Texas, Israni eventually moved to California in 2003 where she founded an education company with a national presence. While raising four children and establishing a business, Israni continued being active in the community, be it mentoring children or utilizing her law degree to help families and individuals in crisis.
The idea of running for Congress wasn’t a departure from the “sewa” or service that she had already been involved with, Israni highlighted.
Stating that she felt the urgency to be a part of bringing about change, Israni said, “I think it's the natural progression of wanting to make an impact, wanting to empower people to influence good change. And that's the main reason that I'm running. I've been very actively involved with children, whether it's through my business or through nonprofit work. And I think the biggest concern I have is that that they see a world not as hopeful as one would have felt 10 or 20 years back.”
A first-time politician coming from an immigrant background, Israni said that it was important to think about how immigration policies can be strengthened as in the current context it wasn’t “efficient.”
Describing the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act as landmark legislation, Israni said that it helped immigrants like her parents as it emphasized strengthening America through inclusive immigration, regardless of origin or background. Israni said that the current day policy fails to recognize how the immigration policy can benefit industries, local communities and the nation as a whole.
Further she explained, “We need to strengthen the immigration system, hire more judges, so that people aren't waiting a decade to get there, to get their green cards. They can actually move on with their lives. They can travel if they need to. So, looking at the policies and looking at how they're implemented, and looking at how they affect people's lives, and how do we use those policies to strengthen the country? That's ultimately what we want to focus on.”
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