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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has a new top law enforcement official at the federal level.
Trina A. Higgins was sworn in as Utah's new U.S. Attorney on Wednesday, a week after she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate for the position, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. President Joe Biden announced his nomination of Higgins in January.
With her official confirmation and swearing in, Higgins becomes the first woman to be presidentially appointed and U.S. Senate confirmed to lead the Utah U.S. Attorney's Office, according to the news release.
"It is both my honor and privilege to serve as the United States Attorney for the District of Utah," Higgins said in the news release. "I look forward to working with the dedicated public servants in the U.S. Attorney's Office. And I am eager to work collaboratively with our federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and community partners in pursuit of justice and equity."
Higgins — who earned a bachelor's degree from Weber State University in 1992 and a law degree from the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law in 1995 — recently returned to Utah after serving on a detail as the Mediterranean Legal Advisor for the DOJ's Office of Overseas Prosecution Development and Training from the U.S. Embassy in Valletta, Malta.
She has worked in the U.S. Attorney's Office since 2002; as special counsel to litigative programs from 2017 to 2021 and was senior litigation counsel from 2015 to 2017. From 2008 to 2015, she was the violent crime section chief within the Utah U.S. Attorney's Office. She served as the office's tribal liaison from 2005 to 2015.
Before working at the U.S. Attorney's Office, Higgins served as a deputy district attorney for the Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office from 1995 to 2002.
Higgins' nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate via a voice vote on April 27. Her nomination was praised by both U.S. Sen. Mike Lee and Sen. Mitt Romney.
In a statement following Higgins' confirmation, Lee said she will be an incredible U.S. Attorney, adding he personally got to know her when he was a federal prosecutor.
"She is among the most dedicated, hard-working, and disciplined attorneys I have met," Lee said in a statement. "In this important role, I am confident she will excel at working to keep Utah families safe and upholding the rule of law."
Romney also congratulated Higgins in a statement following her Senate confirmation, saying, "Trina was nominated for this role because of her impressive track record while serving Utah in the U.S. Attorney's Office as Assistant U.S. Attorney. I am confident she will serve our state and country with honor and integrity as she assumes her new role."
Higgins will take over for Andrea Martinez, who was appointed to the job in an interim capacity in December and has been the acting U.S. Attorney since March. John Huber was the last Utah U.S. Attorney confirmed by the Senate, who was in the position for six years before stepping down.
