Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh, the state's first Muslim lawmaker, has shared notice of a paid legislative internship open only to candidates who identify as Muslim or as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian, according to a report from Charisma News.

The notice, posted to Instagram as a flyer, states that candidates for the legislative intern program must “identify as a Muslim and/or as Middle Eastern, North African, or South Asian.” The intern would serve in the Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian (MENASA) and Muslim Caucus during the 2027 legislative session.

Other qualifications listed on the flyer include a minimum 3.5 grade point average, an interest in “policy, social change/justice, and the legislative process,” flexibility, the ability to work in a fast-paced environment, and the ability to work in person for the 2027 session.

Senator Jodeh told Muslim Network TV earlier this month that she intends to use her office to support more Muslim lawmakers. “Being the first Muslim, Palestinian American and Arab woman elected to the Colorado legislature isn’t just about being the first,” she said. “It’s about making sure I’m not the last, and making sure the people I represent feel seen, heard and valued.”

She added that the “wave of Muslim candidates represents something much bigger than any one election. It shows that our voters are no longer willing to let others define who we are, what we believe, or where we belong in American politics.”

The posting raises a legal question that applies to every public office. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, an employer may not discriminate in hiring on the basis of religion, race, or national origin. Colorado state law likewise prohibits discrimination against employees on the basis of protected classes, including religion.

Whether a legislative internship tied to a caucus falls under those protections, and whether the posting will be challenged or revised, remains to be seen. No statement from the senator's office addressing the legal question was included in the report.

Christians should watch this case with care, because the principle at stake cuts both ways. A rule that allows a government office to hire on the basis of one faith today can be turned against believers of another faith tomorrow. Equal treatment under the law is not a partisan idea; it is the ground on which religious liberty stands for everyone.