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Who Is Ilhan Omar? US legislator Ousted From Foreign Affairs Committee

The Representative of Minnesota Ilhan Omar was ousted from the Foreign Affairs Committee over past comments about Israel. The comments made by Omar were widely condemned as antisemitic. The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP voted out Omar on February 2.

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Snehal Mutha
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Who Is Ilhan Omar?
The Representative of Minnesota Ilhan Omar was ousted from the Foreign Affairs Committee over past comments about Israel. The comments made by Omar were widely condemned as antisemitic. The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP voted out Omar on February 2.
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The removal of Omar has attracted criticism and the move as revenge and attack on women of colour. Omar made in 2019 made comments that certain pro-Israel groups were “all about the Benjamins, baby,” appearing to refer to hundred-dollar bills, this was seen as an antisemitic trope about Jews and money. However, Omar apologised for her insensitive comment. But on February 2 after two years Omar was terminated from the FAC. 

Omar’s closest friends defended her in passionate and emotional speeches. Representative of New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused Republicans of hypocris

The Representative of Minnesota Ilhan Omar was ousted from the Foreign Affairs Committee over past comments about Israel. The comments made by Omar were widely condemned as antisemitic. The Republican Party, also referred to as the GOP voted out Omar on February 2.

y, xenophobia, and racism for targeting her while saying nothing about antisemitic remarks by members of their own party. 

Omar also in her speech said, "Who gets to be an American? What opinions do you have to have to be counted as American? That is what this debate is about. There is this idea that you are suspected if you are an immigrant. Or if you are from a certain part of the world, of a certain skin tone, or a Muslim."

She spoke loud and clear to Congress, “I will continue to speak up. Because representation matters." ⁠

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Who Is Ilhan Omar? 

  • Omar is many of the first to be in politics, She is the first Somali American, the first naturalized citizen of African birth in the United States Congress, and the first woman of colour to represent Minnesota. She is also one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress. 
  • Ilhan Abdullahi Omar is a politician serving since 2019 as the U.S. representative for Minnesota. She is a democrat and progressive lawmaker. 
  • Omar also served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. 
  • Omar has been a staunch supporter of a $15 minimum wage, universal healthcare, student loan debt forgiveness, protection of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and abolishing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 
  • The 40-year-old Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and was the youngest of seven siblings. She migrated to escape Somalia's civil war which landed her in refugee camps and from there secured asylum in U.S. Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 when she was 17 years old. 
  • Omar graduated from North Dakota State University in 2011 with a bachelor's degree in political science and international studies. She was also a Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs. 
  • She started her career as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota. Later, served campaign manager for politicians, and she worked as a senior policy aide. 
  • Later in 2016 fought election on the Democrat Party ticket from Minnesota and also won the election becoming the first Somali-American legislator in the United States. 

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Ilhan Omar
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