A lawyer with Bangladeshi ancestry named Nusrat Jahan Choudhury is the first Muslim woman to hold the position of a federal judge in the United States (US). Her confirmation was announced by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who was pleased to recommend her to President Joe Biden.
She brings a wealth of knowledge from her time as the Legal Director for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to her position as a US District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Choudhury, an ardent advocate for civil rights, was put forward for this position by President Biden in January. A 50-49 vote on May 15 gave her the life-tenured position.
This comes after the historic appointment of American-Pakistani lawyer Zahid Quraishi, who became the first Muslim federal judge in US history. In 2021, Quraishi will be appointed and confirmed by President Biden to serve as a federal judge for the District of New Jersey.
Throughout her career, Choudhury has been embroiled in significant legal disputes. According to the ACLU website, she has led litigation efforts to advance the First Amendment rights, government transparency, criminal justice and policing reform, voting rights, reproductive healthcare access, gender equity, and the rights of LGBTQIA+ people, children in foster care, young people in juvenile detention, and incarcerated people. She has also worked to protect immigrants from unsafe detention conditions.
Choudhury was a key player in the fight against racial profiling, illegal stop-and-frisk procedures, and disproportionate surveillance of people of color while she was employed by the ACLU. Additionally, she fought against practices that unfairly punish people based on their financial situation, which resulted in important changes that advance equality and fairness in the legal system.
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