Ilhan Omar, born on October 4, 1982, in Mogadishu, Somalia, is an American politician currently serving as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional district since 2019. As a member of the Democratic Party, she is the first African refugee to become a Member of Congress, the first woman of color to represent Minnesota, and one of the first two Muslim-American women elected to Congress. Before her congressional service, Omar served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. Her district encompasses all of Minneapolis and several of its surrounding suburbs.
Omar's journey to the United States began when her family fled the Somali Civil War in 1991, spending four years in a Kenyan refugee camp before gaining asylum in the U.S. in 1995. She became a U.S. citizen in 2000 at the age of 17. She holds a bachelor's degree in political science and international studies from North Dakota State University. In Congress, Omar has focused on issues such as investing in education, eliminating student debt, establishing a just immigration system, ensuring a living wage, and combating climate change. She sits on the House Education and Workforce Committee and is the Vice Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee. Omar secured over $54 million in funding for community projects throughout Minnesota's Fifth District. She was re-elected in 2024.
