Choudhury is a Dedicated Civil Rights Advocate and the First Muslim Woman and Bangladeshi-American Federal Judge

Washington, DC — On Thursday, the U.S. Senate voted to confirm Nusrat Jahan Choudhury to be a federal judge for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Muslim Advocates previously worked in coalition with Choudhury when she was the legal director of the ACLU of Illinois. Muslim Advocates also worked to urge Sen. Chuck Schumer and President Joe Biden to support her nomination, spearheaded 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 her confirmation hearing.

The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Executive Director Omar Farah:

“Today’s long-awaited vote to elevate Nusrat Choudhury to the federal bench is historic for many reasons. Ms. Choudhury has devoted her career to ensuring that all people are treated fairly by our legal system. Her confirmation today means that someone who has worked in the civil rights trenches and confronted barriers to justice that exist in too many communities will be making critical decisions as a federal judge.

Of course, Ms. Choudhury is also the first Muslim woman and first Bangladeshi-American to ever be confirmed by the Senate to serve as a federal judge. New York, where she will sit, is also home to one of the largest American Muslim populations and the largest Bangladeshi-American populations in the country. Choudhury’s confirmation adds personal and professional experience to a judiciary that desperately lacks people who understand the profound power imbalances marginalized communities often face in the courtroom. President Biden and Leader Schumer were exactly right to champion this historic nomination, and we are grateful for that. We congratulate Ms. Choudhury with faith that she will continue to uphold the commitment to equal justice that has defined her career.”

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Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization that uses litigation, policy engagement and communications strategies to promote justice and equity while protecting the diverse spectrum of Muslim communities from anti-Muslim discrimination in all of its forms.