Issue:

Muslim Advocates Cheers Advancement of First Muslim Woman Federal Judicial Nominee

Washington D.C. — Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a follow-up hearing on the nomination of Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to be a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Senators supported Choudhury by a vote of 12-10, thus sending her nomination to the Senate floor for a full vote. If confirmed, Choudhury would be the first Bangladeshi-American, first Muslim woman and second American Muslim confirmed as a federal judge. Muslim Advocates worked to ensure that Sen. Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden recommended and nominated Choudhury. We also organized a letter from faith and civil rights groups in support of the nomination and advised the Senate Judiciary Committee on avoiding anti-Muslim tropes during the confirmation hearing.

The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Senior Policy Counsel Sumayyah Waheed:

“Nusrat Jahan Choudhury’s whole life has prepared her to be a federal judge. Choudhury’s entire professional career has been dedicated to defending the civil rights of marginalized communities—a type of experience that is desperately needed in the federal judiciary. She also would be the first ever Muslim woman and Bangladeshi-American federal judge confirmed by the U.S. Senate—also something that our federal judiciary sorely lacks. 

We thank Senator Durbin for shepherding this nomination through the committee process. Choudhury is a highly qualified, boundary-breaking nominee and we strongly urge the Senate to do the obvious thing and vote to confirm her and the other qualified, boundary-breaking women of color who were advanced alongside her.”

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Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.