Majority Leader Schumer Statement On The Confirmation Of Nusrat Choudhury To Serve As A District Judge On The United States District Court For The Eastern District Of New York
Choudhury, An Experienced Litigator and National Expert in Civil Rights, Is Making History As The First Bangladeshi American And First Muslim American Woman—And Only The Second Muslim American Ever—To Serve On The Federal Bench
Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today announced the historic confirmation of Nusrat Choudhury, an exceptional attorney and civil rights litigator, to serve as a district judge on the prestigious United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Schumer forwarded the name of Nusrat Choudhury for the Eastern District of New York to the Biden-Harris administration and has championed her nomination. Ms. Choudhury will be the very first Muslim American woman and first Bangladeshi American to serve on the federal bench.
“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 making sure all people can have their voices heard in court.
“Ms. Choudhury makes history as the very first Bangladeshi American, and the first Muslim American woman, to serve on the federal bench. She currently serves as a Legal Director for the ACLU, and is an expert in civil rights and civil liberties. Her vast and critical experience, coupled with a deep-rooted understanding of the law, will serve her well as a judge for the Eastern District.
“I am confident that Ms. Choudhury’s experience as a talented and dedicated civil rights litigator has prepared her to serve with integrity and professionalism on the federal bench, and she will follow the facts and administer justice with fairness and a deep respect for the rule of law. She is a breath of fresh air with unique perspective, and I am proud to have recommended her to serve on the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York.”
The biography for Nusrat Choudhury is below:
Nusrat Choudhury is the Legal Director at the ACLU of Illinois. In this role, she oversees a legal team of more than 20 staff advancing civil rights and civil liberties across Illinois. Prior to joining the ACLU of Illinois, Ms. Choudhury served for more than 11 years (2008-2020) at the national ACLU, including seven years as Deputy Director of the ACLU Racial Justice Program.
She earned her B.A. from Columbia University in 1998 and an M.P.A. from Princeton School of Public and International Affairs in 2006. She graduated with her J.D. from Yale Law School in 2006. Following law school, Ms. Choudhury clerked for Hon. Denise L. Cote on the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and then for Hon. Barrington Parker, Jr. on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in New York.
Ms. Choudhury’s experience is vast: she’s handled more than two dozen federal cases, 8 class actions, and has been lead counsel in 16 cases. She’s worked both at the state and federal level; and argued cases both in district court and on appeal. She has handled a whole host of issues ranging from civil rights, to criminal justice reform, to First Amendment issues and so much more. She’s represented veterans and immigrants, has worked with law enforcement to improve policing practices in cities ranging from Milwaukee to Chicago to Boston.
From 2017 to 2018, Ms. Choudhury was a member of the American Bar Association’s Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice, as well as the Presidential Task Force on Building Public Trust in the American Justice System. She also served on the Board of Directors of Whistleblower Aid. She is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of Greater Chicago, the Illinois State Bar Association, and the South Asian Bar Association of Chicago.
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