First US Female Muslim Federal Judge
US Senate confirms First Female Muslim Federal Judge
Nusrat Choudhury was confirmed Thursday as a federal judge by the US Senate, making history as the first Muslim woman and the first Bangladeshi American to join the federal judicial bench.
The US Senate narrowly approved Choudhury’s nomination in a 50-49 vote.
She is 47 years old and graduated from Columbia University, Princeton University, and Yale Law School.
Choudhury, who currently serves as a legal director for the Illinois chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), will join the US District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
The ACLU has tweeted its congratulations, saying “Nusrat is a trailblazing civil rights lawyer and her confirmation will be an asset to our nation’s legal system.”
Choudhury is the second Muslim American federal judge, following Zahid Quraishi – district judge of the District Court of New Jersey.
According to some political analysts, her historic confirmation highlights the lack of diversity among federal judges, by race and ethnicity, and gender.
A 2022 CNN review revealed that while the bench of US federal judges has steadily grown more diverse, women and non-White groups remain underrepresented.
