Ilhan Omar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ilhan Omar
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Official portrait, 2019
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 5th district |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Keith Ellison |
| Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 60B district |
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| In office January 2, 2017 – January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Phyllis Kahn |
| Succeeded by | Mohamud Noor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ilham Abdullahi Omar
October 4, 1982 Mogadishu, Somalia |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
Ahmed Nur Said Elmi
(m. 2009; div. 2017)Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi
(m. 2018; div. 2019)Tim Mynett
(m. 2020) |
| Children | 3, including Isra Hirsi |
| Relatives | Sahra Noor (sister) |
| Education | North Dakota State University (BA) |
| Signature |  |
Ilhan Abdullahi Omar (born October 4, 1982) is an American politician. She serves as a U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th district since 2019. This means she helps make laws for the country. She is a member of the Democratic Party. Before joining Congress, Omar was a representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. Her district includes the city of Minneapolis and nearby areas.
Omar is a leader in the Congressional Progressive Caucus. She supports ideas like a higher minimum wage ($15 per hour) and universal healthcare (where everyone has health insurance). She also wants to help people with student loan debt and protect young immigrants.
She has spoken about policies related to Israel, which led to some disagreements. In February 2023, the House of Representatives voted to remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. This was due to comments she had made about Israel.
Omar made history as the first Somali American in the United States Congress. She is also the first woman of color to represent Minnesota. Along with Rashida Tlaib, she is one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ilhan Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, on October 4, 1982. She spent her early childhood in Baidoa, Somalia. She was the youngest of seven children. Her father was a colonel in the Somali army and a teacher. Her mother passed away when Ilhan was two years old. Her father and grandfather raised her. They were moderate Sunni Muslims.
Her family left Somalia to escape the Somali Civil War. They lived for four years in a Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. In 1995, Omar's family received asylum and moved to the U.S. They first lived in New York City and Virginia. Then they settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her father worked as a taxi driver and later for the post office.
Her father and grandfather taught her about democracy. At age 14, she went to political meetings with her grandfather. She helped him by being his interpreter. Omar faced school bullying in Virginia because of her Somali appearance and hijab. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000 when she was 17.
Omar graduated from Thomas Edison High School in 2001. She earned a bachelor's degree in political science and international studies from North Dakota State University in 2011. She also studied at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Early Career in Public Service
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Omar started her career helping people with nutrition at the University of Minnesota (2006-2009). In 2012, she managed a campaign for Kari Dziedzic for the Minnesota State Senate. From 2012 to 2013, she worked for the Minnesota Department of Education. She helped connect children with healthy food programs.
In 2013, Omar managed Andrew Johnson's campaign for Minneapolis City Council. After he won, she worked as his Senior Policy Aide until 2015. She also became the Director of Policy Initiatives for the Women Organizing Women Network. This group helps women from East Africa become leaders in their communities. By 2018, she was known as a rising star in progressive politics.
Minnesota House of Representatives
Becoming a State Representative
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In 2016, Ilhan Omar ran for the Minnesota House of Representatives. She ran for District 60B in northeast Minneapolis. She won the primary election in August. In November, she won the general election. This made her the first Somali-American legislator in the United States. Her term began on January 3, 2017.
Her Work in the State House
As a state representative, Omar was an Assistant Minority Leader for her party. She wrote 38 bills during her time in office (2017–2018). She served on several committees. These included the Civil Law & Data Practices Policy, Higher Education & Career Readiness Policy & Finance, and State Government Finance committees.
Campaign Finance Discussions
In 2018, some questions were raised about how Omar used her campaign funds. She was accused of using campaign money for personal travel and legal fees. Omar stated that the expenses were related to her campaign. She also offered to return some speaking fees. Minnesota officials later ruled that she had to pay back $3,500 for out-of-state travel and tax filing. She also paid a $500 fine. Her campaign said that all her tax filings followed the law.
U.S. House of Representatives
Elections to Congress
2018 Election
In 2018, Omar decided to run for the United States House of Representatives. She ran for Minnesota's 5th congressional district. The previous representative, Keith Ellison, was not running again. Omar won the primary election in August. This district is very supportive of the Democratic Party. In November, she won the general election with 78% of the vote.
This victory was historic. She became the first Somali American elected to the U.S. Congress. She was also the first woman of color to represent Minnesota in Congress. And, along with Rashida Tlaib, she was one of the first Muslim women elected to Congress. She was sworn into office using a copy of the Quran that belonged to her grandfather.
2020 Election
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Omar won the Democratic primary in August 2020. She faced several opponents, including Antone Melton-Meaux. Even though her opponent raised a lot of money, Omar won with 57.4% of the vote. She then won the general election in November.
2022 Election
In the August 2022 Democratic primary, Omar faced Don Samuels and other candidates. The campaign focused on issues like crime and her work in Congress. Omar won the primary by a small margin, with 50.3% of the votes.
2024 Election
Omar is running for reelection for her fourth term in 2024. She won the Democratic primary in August 2024. She again defeated Don Samuels and other challengers.
Her Time in Congress
After Omar's election, the rule against wearing head coverings in the U.S. House was changed. This allowed Omar to be the first woman to wear a hijab on the House floor. She is part of a group called "The Squad." This group includes Ayanna Pressley, Rashida Tlaib, and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. They work together to support progressive ideas like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All.
News channels often talk about Omar. Polls show that Republicans know about her more than Democrats. She has very low approval among Republicans but high approval among Democrats.
Laws and Resolutions
In July 2019, Omar introduced a resolution about boycotts. It stated that Americans have the right to participate in boycotts for civil and human rights. She also voted against a House resolution that condemned the BDS movement.
On January 7, 2021, Omar and 12 other House members introduced articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump. These charges were related to his actions regarding the 2020 presidential election and the attack on the U.S. Capitol.
Committee Work
For the 118th Congress, Omar serves on two important committees:
- Committee on Education and the Workforce
- Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions
- Subcommittee on Workforce Protections
- Committee on the Budget
She is also part of several caucuses (groups of members with shared interests):
- Congressional Progressive Caucus (deputy chair)
- Congressional Black Caucus
- Congressional Caucus for the Equal Rights Amendment
After the Capitol Attack
After the 2021 United States Capitol attack, Omar shared her experience. She said it was very upsetting and she feared for her life. She called her children's father to make sure he would tell them she loved them if she didn't make it out. She believes the attack changed the Capitol forever.
Political Ideas
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Education Policies
Omar supports making it easier for students to get student loan forgiveness. She also wants free tuition for college students from families earning less than $125,000. She supports a plan to eliminate all student debt. In 2019, she introduced a bill to stop schools from shaming students who have school meal debt.
Healthcare Access
Omar supports Medicare for All. This plan would create a single government-run health insurance system for everyone.
In July 2022, Omar was arrested with other members of Congress. This happened during a protest for reproductive rights outside the Supreme Court Building. They were protesting after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
Human Rights
Omar has spoken out against human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia. She also criticized their actions in Yemen. She has condemned China's treatment of its Uyghur people. Omar believes the U.S. should hold all countries to the same human rights standards. She also criticized Donald Trump's decision to add more sanctions on Iran.
She condemned the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings. She said that no one should be afraid in their place of worship. Omar also opposed the 2019 Turkish offensive into northeastern Syria. She called it a disaster that forced many civilians to flee.
In October 2019, Omar voted "present" on a resolution to recognize the Armenian genocide. She said that recognizing genocides should not be used for political reasons. She argued that other historical genocides, like the Atlantic slave trade and the Native American genocide, should also be recognized. Later, she publicly condemned the Armenian genocide.
Immigration Views
In a March 2019 interview, Omar criticized how children were held at the Mexican border under President Barack Obama. She later clarified that she was comparing policies, not people.
In June 2019, Omar was one of four Democrats to vote against a $4.5 billion bill for border funding. She believed it did not do enough to ensure health standards for people in custody.
Infrastructure Spending
In November 2021, Omar was one of six House Democrats who voted against the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. She did so because it was separated from other social programs she supported.
LGBT Rights
In March 2019, Omar spoke at a rally supporting a bill to ban gay conversion therapy in Minnesota. She had also supported a similar bill as a state representative. In August 2019, she tweeted her support for Al Qaws, a Palestinian LGBT rights group.
Military Policy
Omar has been critical of U.S. foreign policy. She has called for less funding for "perpetual war and military aggression."
Minimum Wage
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Omar strongly supports a $15 hourly minimum wage.
Awards and Recognition
In 2015, Omar received the Community Leadership Award from Mshale. This is an African immigrant media group in Minneapolis.
In 2017, Time magazine included Omar in its "Firsts: Women who are changing the world" report. She was featured on the cover of their September 18 issue. In 2018, Vogue magazine named her family as one of "five families who are changing the world."
Media Appearances
In 2018, Omar appeared in the music video for Maroon 5's song "Girls Like You" featuring Cardi B.
The 2018 documentary film Time for Ilhan tells the story of Omar's political campaign. It was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival.
In July 2019, after a tweet by President Trump, Omar and the other members of "The Squad" held a press conference. It was shown on CNN and social media.
On October 19, 2020, Omar joined other public figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and popular streamers Disguised Toast and Pokimane. They played the game Among Us on Twitch. This event encouraged people to vote in the 2020 election and got almost half a million views.
Personal Life
In 2002, Omar became engaged to Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi. They had an unofficial Islamic marriage and two children, including Isra Hirsi. Isra is known for helping organize the school strike for climate in the U.S. Omar and Hirsi had a faith-based divorce in 2008.
In 2009, Omar married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. They had a faith-based divorce in 2011. After that, Omar and Hirsi got back together and had a third child in 2012. Omar and Elmi legally divorced in 2017. Omar and Hirsi then legally married in 2018. In October 2019, Omar filed for divorce from Hirsi, which was finalized in November 2019.
In March 2020, Omar married Tim Mynett. He is a political consultant. His company worked with Omar's campaign. In November 2020, Omar's campaign ended its contract with Mynett's firm. This was to avoid any appearance of conflict.
In 2020, Omar published her memoir, This Is What America Looks Like. She wrote it with Rebecca Paley.
Images for kids
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Ilhan Omar's signature
See also
In Spanish: Ilhan Omar para niños
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of Muslim members of the United States Congress
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
