Rashida Tlaib facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rashida Tlaib
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Official portrait, 2024
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Michigan |
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| Assumed office January 3, 2019 |
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| Preceded by | Brenda Jones |
| Constituency |
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| Member of the Michigan House of Representatives | |
| In office January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2014 |
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| Preceded by | Steve Tobocman |
| Succeeded by | Stephanie Chang |
| Constituency | 12th district (2009–2012) 6th district (2013–2014) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Rashida Harbi
July 24, 1976 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Fayez Tlaib
(m. 1998; div. 2015) |
| Children | 2 |
| Education | Wayne State University (BA) Thomas M. Cooley Law School (JD) |
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| Website | |
Rashida Harbi Tlaib (born July 24, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician. She is a U.S. representative for Michigan. A U.S. representative is a person elected to help make laws for the whole country. She has served in this role since 2019.
Tlaib is a member of the Democratic Party. She made history as the first Palestinian American woman to serve in the U.S. Congress. She and Ilhan Omar were also the first two Muslim women elected to Congress.
Born in Detroit to Palestinian immigrant parents, Tlaib grew up in a working-class family. She became a lawyer before starting her career in politics. She is a member of "The Squad," an unofficial group of progressive members of Congress. Tlaib is known for her strong opinions and has been a critic of both the Trump and Biden administrations.
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Early Life and Schooling
Rashida Harbi was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 24, 1976. She was the oldest of 14 children. Her parents were immigrants from Palestine. Her mother was from a village near the city of Ramallah, and her father was from a neighborhood in East Jerusalem. Her father worked on an assembly line at a Ford Motor Company factory. As the oldest child, Rashida helped raise her younger brothers and sisters.
She went to high school in Detroit and graduated in 1994. She then attended Wayne State University, where she earned a degree in political science in 1998. In 2004, she earned a law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
Career in Michigan Government
Tlaib's political career began in 2004 as an intern for State Representative Steve Tobocman. He later hired her to his staff. In 2008, when Tobocman had to leave his position because of term limits (rules that limit how long a person can hold an office), he encouraged Tlaib to run for his seat.
She won the election and became a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. She was the first Muslim woman to serve in Michigan's state legislature. She served from 2009 to 2014. After leaving the state legislature, she worked for a nonprofit organization that gives free legal help to workers.
U.S. House of Representatives
How She Was Elected
In 2018, Tlaib ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. The person holding the seat, John Conyers, had resigned. Tlaib won the Democratic primary election, which is a contest to see who will be the party's main candidate.
She won the general election in November 2018. This victory made her the first Palestinian-American woman in Congress. She has won reelection several times since then, including in 2020, 2022, and 2024.
Time in Congress
Tlaib took her oath of office on January 3, 2019. She swore her oath on an English translation of the Quran. For the ceremony, she wore a traditional embroidered Arab dress called a thawb. This inspired many Palestinian-American women to post pictures of themselves in their own traditional dresses online.
Ban from Entering Israel
In August 2019, the government of Israel announced that Tlaib and her colleague Ilhan Omar would not be allowed to enter the country. The decision came after President Donald Trump encouraged Israel's leaders to block their visit.
Later, Israeli officials said Tlaib could visit her family in the West Bank for humanitarian reasons, but with certain restrictions. Tlaib decided not to go, saying she did not want to visit "under these oppressive conditions."
Censure by the House
In November 2023, the House of Representatives voted to censure Tlaib. A censure is a formal and public statement of disapproval. The vote happened because of statements she made after the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
The resolution accused her of "promoting false narratives" about the attack. It also criticized her for using the phrase "from the river to the sea." Some people view this phrase as a call for the destruction of Israel, while others, including Tlaib, see it as a call for freedom and human rights for Palestinians. The House voted 234 to 188 to approve the censure.
Political Views
Tlaib is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America and is considered part of the progressive, or left, wing of the Democratic Party.
Israeli–Palestinian Conflict
Tlaib is a strong critic of the Israeli government's policies toward Palestinians. She supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which puts economic and political pressure on Israel to change its policies. She also supports a one-state solution, where Israelis and Palestinians would live together in one country with equal rights.
She has often called Israel an "apartheid state," which means she believes its laws create a system of racial segregation and discrimination against Palestinians. This has led to criticism from other politicians.
During the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Tlaib was a leading voice in Congress calling for a ceasefire. She has criticized U.S. aid to Israel's military. She stated that her criticism is aimed at the Israeli government, not the Israeli or Jewish people.
Domestic Issues
Tlaib supports many progressive policies in the United States. She wants a national healthcare program called Medicare for All. She also supports raising the federal minimum wage to between $18 and $20 per hour.
She has called for major changes to the U.S. immigration system, including abolishing the agency known as ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement). She has also been a strong voice for police reform.
Impeachment of Donald Trump
Tlaib was an early and vocal supporter of impeaching President Donald Trump. On her first day in Congress in 2019, she co-wrote an article arguing for his impeachment. Later that day, at an event, she used strong language to promise she would work to impeach him. She voted to impeach Trump in both 2019 and 2021.
Personal Life
Tlaib married Fayez Tlaib in 1998. They have two sons. The couple later divorced.
Tlaib is Muslim. She has said that she believes her actions are a reflection of her faith and that her "Allah is She."
See also
In Spanish: Rashida Tlaib para niños
- List of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans in the United States Congress
- List of Muslim members of the United States Congress
- The Squad (United States Congress)
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
