Ilhan Abdullahi Omar was born on October 4, 1982, in Mogadishu, Somalia. She is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district since 2019. She is a member of the Democratic Party and is described as a progressive. She is one of the founders of “The Squad,” which is an informal group of left-wing congresswomen pushing for social justice and reform.
Early life and education
Omar’s early life was defined by adversity. Having fled the civil war in Somalia at the age of eight, Omar spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya. In 1995, her family was granted asylum in the United States, where they settled initially in Virginia and later moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1997. Omar wasn’t getting much through to her new surroundings; to make things worse, she had to learn the English language from television shows, among them Baywatch. In 2011 she graduated from North Dakota State University, where she majored in political science and international studies, which really laid all of the groundwork to push her into political life.
Omar’s political career
Omar’s political career began as a young girl escorting her grandfather to Democratic caucuses, where she served as an interpreter for him. Formally, she took the political plunge in 2016, when she won a seat in the Minnesota House of Representatives by defeating a long-time incumbent—the first victory of its kind for a Somali-American state legislator. She was outstanding in the issues of education, health, and immigration during her incumbency.
In 2018, Omar contested for the United States House of Representatives; consequently, she became among the first two Muslim ladies to be elected into the United States Congress. That election was historic not because of her background as a refugee but because Omar was the first hijabi woman to serve in Congress. Her platform includes support for Medicare for All, the Green New Deal, and a $15 minimum wage.
Her recent primary win
On August 13, 2024, Omar emerged victorious from her primary race against former Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels, taking about 56.2% of the vote. That win is significant not just because she won, but for many other reasons, the political climate seems very unfavorable to progressive candidates in general, and losses by Squad members Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman in their respective primaries. The campaign of Omar emphasized her commitment to social justice and community issues, which no doubt resonates with constituents in this district comprising most of Minneapolis.
What was striking about Omar’s primary race was that both candidates were on two sides of a political-ideology divide. Samuels had positioned himself as more center-right, hitting Omar for her bombastic comments on Israel and how she was creating division. Even in the face of this, Omar held onto her fundraising advantage and endorsements from key members of the Democratic Party, notably Senator Bernie Sanders. The win is taken to be an affirmation of progressive values within the Democratic Party, especially against opposition from its more center-right factions.
Career challenges and controversies
Throughout Omar’s career, she has remained under constant scrutiny and controversy, most of all with respect to her remarks about Israel and her critique of the foreign policy by the United States. Back in 2019, she was under fire for making what people thought was an anti-Semitic tweet, after which the House Republicans even went further to remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. Omar has apologized for the remarks, underscoring how much she is committed to fighting hate and discrimination in every manner.
All this notwithstanding, Omar has remained an outspoken protector of interests for her constituents, not least the large Somali immigrant community in her district. She worked hard to secure federal funding for community development and has been a strong supporter of ending systemic discrimination against Muslim Americans.
From a Somali refugee to a United States Congresswoman, Ilhan Omar’s journey is one story of great endurance and commitment to public service. A Squad member, she is of the new generation of leadership transforming American politics, fighting for policy proposals set around the principles of social justice, equity, and empowerment of communities. The recent primary win sealed her position as a central player in the ongoing transformation of the Democratic Party and its approach toward the needs of diverse communities nationwide.
