Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, a lawyer with Bangladeshi heritage, has become the first Muslim woman to serve as a federal judge in the United States (US). Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced her confirmation and expressed pride in recommending her to President Joe Biden.Â
She will serve as a US District Judge for the Eastern District of New York and brings with her extensive experience as a Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU).
In January, President Biden nominated Choudhury, a devoted civil rights attorney, for this position. On 15 May she secured the life-tenured position with a vote of 50-49.Â
This follows the historic appointment of Zahid Quraishi, an American Pakistani lawyer, who became the first Muslim American federal judge in US history. President Biden also nominated and confirmed Quraishi as a federal judge for the District of New Jersey in 2021.
Choudhury has been involved in significant legal battles throughout her career. As stated on the ACLU’s website, she has led litigation efforts to protect immigrants from unsafe detention conditions and advance First Amendment rights, government transparency, criminal justice and policing reform, voting rights, reproductive healthcare access, gender equity, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals, children in foster care, young people in juvenile detention, and incarcerated individuals.
During her time at the ACLU, Choudhury played an instrumental role in challenging racial profiling, unlawful stop-and-frisk policies, and unwarranted surveillance of people of color. She also fought against practices that unfairly penalize individuals based on their economic status, leading to significant changes that promote fairness and equal treatment within the legal system.
