In response to the announcement that President Joe Biden is nominating Nusrat Choudhury, legal director at that ACLU of Illinois, to be a federal judge in the Eastern District of New York, ACLU of Illinois Executive Director Colleen Connell offered the following reaction:
“Nusrat Choudhury’s nomination to the federal bench is historic – as the first Bangladeshi American and first Muslim woman to serve on the federal bench and the second Muslim American. During her tenure as legal director in Illinois, she has among other things led our legal team in efforts to improve policing in Chicago, protect medically-vulnerable persons detained on immigration charges during the COVID pandemic in Illinois county jails, and challenged unfair practices that drive Chicago residents into bankruptcy to pay fines and fees.
As a matter of organizational policy, the ACLU does not support or oppose nominees to political or judicial office and will not be lobbying the Senate on this or other judicial nominations.
At the same time, the ACLU has a proud tradition of legendary advocates, notably Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who step away from advocacy and don a black robe to defend and protect the Constitution. Nusrat, when confirmed, will continue that tradition and we wish her the very best."