The 21st century has brought about the first African American president in 2008, the first woman as the Democratic Presidential Nominee in 2016 (95 years after women were first granted to right to vote in 1920), the first Muslim federal judge in 2021 – and 2022 may just see the first Muslim woman federal judge in Nusrat Choudhury nominated by Biden.
One of Biden’s missions is change and diversity in male-dominated positions. And as the Muslim community have been pushing Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Senator Kristen Gillibrand to have Choudhury nominated, the time was inevitable for her. Biden nominated her in January, 2022. However, she still has to get passed the Senate.
“Nusrat Choudhury’s nomination to the federal bench is historic — as the first Bangladeshi American and first Muslim woman to serve on the federal bench and the second Muslim American,” ACLU of Illinois Executive Director Colleen Connell said in a statement.
Choudhury is a Bangladeshi-American civil rights lawyer. She served more than 11 years at the national American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) based in New York City. She has since worked as a staff attorney for the ACLU National Security Project and Racial Justice Program. And since 2020, she has served as the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois.
Chowdhury is currently working in Illinois, as the legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union. If she’s confirmed by the US Senate, she will be in command at the federal district court of New York state.
“At a time when inequalities in the justice system are front and center, Choudhury, who dedicated her career to protecting the civil rights of Muslims and other marginalized communities, would bring legitimacy to the judiciary by pushing it towards justice,” Muslim Advocates said in a statement. “And at a time when hate and division are driving us apart, Choudhury would serve as an inspiration as the first Muslim woman, first Bangladeshi-American and second ever American Muslim to serve as a Senate-confirmed federal judge.”
While Connell has stated that the organization (ACLU) does not support or oppose nominees, he clearly thinks Choudhury is more than worthy. “During her tenure as legal director in Illinois, she has among other things led our legal team in efforts to improve policing in Chicago, protect medically-vulnerable persons detained on immigration charges during the Covid pandemic in Illinois county jails, and challenged unfair practices that drive Chicago residents into bankruptcy to pay fines and fees” he said.
While the president nominates federal judges, the nomination is confirmed by the Senate. In addition to Choudhury, Biden has nominated seven other candidates. Among them is Arianna Freeman, who would be the first Black woman to serve on the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, if chosen by the Senate.
If Choudhury is selected, while she would be the first Muslim woman federal judge, she would be the second Muslim US federal judge after Zahid N Quraishi, who serves in New Jersey and is the first Muslim American federal judge in U.S. history.
