The daughter of Yemeni immigrants to the United States, Ali is now municipal judge for the City of Benoit, a small town in southwest Bolivar County in the Mississippi Delta. “I hope that I’m given a chance to serve,” Ali told the Mississippi Free Press on Monday. Influencers and politicians across Mississippi spread misinformation online alleging Ali was appointed in Ridgeland—nearly 130 miles from Benoit—as a new municipal judge. Under Mississippi law, municipalities with 10,000 or fewer residents are not required to appoint a municipal judge. Mississippi Free Press stories are always free because we believe everyone should have access to quality journalism.