Civil rights lawyer Nusrat Chowdhury has made history as the first Muslim female federal judge in U.S. history. Following a 50-49 vote along party lines, Chowdhury will serve as a federal judge in Brooklyn federal court in New York for a lifetime appointment.
Chowdhury’s confirmation has received praise from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), where she currently serves as the legal director of the ACLU of Illinois. Prior to her current role, she held various positions at the national ACLU office, including seven years as the deputy director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program.
In a tweet, the ACLU referred to her as a “trailblazing civil rights lawyer.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who recommended her for the position, expressed his admiration for Chowdhury, highlighting her achievements as the first Bangladeshi American and Muslim American woman to hold a federal judge position. Schumer stated, “Nusrat Choudhury is a shining example of the American Dream. She is the daughter of immigrant parents, a graduate of Columbia, Princeton, and Yale Law School, and has dedicated her career to ensuring that all people can have their voices heard in court.”
However, Sen. Joe Manchin, Democrat of West Virginia, voted against Chowdhury’s appointment due to her support for criminal justice reform. Manchin raised concerns about her ability to remain unbiased toward members of law enforcement based on some of her past statements.
Chowdhury’s legal career includes clerkships for U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote and 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Barrington Parker Jr. in New York City. She also served on the Presidential Task Force on Building Public Trust in the American Justice System.
President Joe Biden’s nomination of Chowdhury aligns with his commitment to promoting diversity in background, race, and gender among his judicial nominees.
Zahid Quraishi already made history as the nation’s first federal Muslim judge two years ago when he was confirmed to serve as a district court judge in New Jersey. Quraishi’s career began on September 11, 2001, as he started working at a New York law firm. He later joined the Army’s legal arm and served two deployments in Iraq.
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