On Thursday, the US Senate confirmed Nusrat Jahan Choudhury, the first Muslim woman and the first Bangladeshi American to serve as a federal judge, along party lines.
Choudhury’s nomination was approved by the Senate by a 50-49 majority, with Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin voting with all Republicans in opposition. She has been appointed as a US District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.
Choudhury previously worked as the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) legal director after serving as the ACLU’s Racial Justice Program’s Deputy Director. According to a brief biography on the ACLU’s website, she has spearheaded efforts to prevent racial profiling and the surveillance of persons of colour.
She received her undergraduate and law degrees from Columbia University, Princeton University, and Yale Law School.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Senate Majority Leader, praised Choudhury’s confirmation, saying he was honoured to recommend her to President Joe Biden.
“She makes history as the first Bangladeshi American woman and the first Muslim American woman to serve as a federal judge,” he tweeted.
The ACLU also congratulated Nusrat, writing, “Nusrat is a trailblazing civil rights lawyer, and her confirmation will be an asset to our nation’s legal system.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, Manchin, the single Democrat opposing her candidature, stated that “some of Ms. Choudhury’s previous statements call into question her ability to be unbiased towards the work of our brave law enforcement.”
“As a staunch supporter of our men and women in uniform, I strongly opposed Ms. Choudhury’s nomination,” he stated.