Ilhan Omar

[[File:Ilhan_Omar,_official_portrait,_116th_Congress.jpg|thumb|right|165px|Official portrait of Ilhan Omar]]
{{uspolitics}}{{cquote|I am America’s hope and [[Donald Trump|the president]]’s nightmare.|||Omar during a 2018 appearance on ''[[The Daily Show]]''.<ref>[https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2018/nov/15/viral-image/facebook-meme-falsely-attributes-quote-ilhan-omar/ Facebook meme falsely attributes quote about race, slaves and Islam to Ilhan Omar] by Miriam Valverde (November 15, 2018) ''PolitiFact''.</ref>}}
'''Ilhan Omar''' {{lived|1982}} is a [[Somalia|Somali]]-[[United States|American]] politician currently serving as the United States Representative for [[Fun:Minnesota|Minnesota]]'s 5<sup>th</sup> district.

==Background==
Omar is a refugee from [[Somalia]], her family fleeing after the nation plunged into chaos following the toppling of [[dictator]] Siad Barre.<ref name="aljazeera">[https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/11/ilhan-omar-female-somali-american-lawmaker-161114070518000.html Ilhan Omar: First female Somali American lawmaker] ''Al Jazeera''. 15 Nov 2016.</ref> After spending four years in a Kenyan refugee camp, the family secured refugee resettlement status in [[Virginia]], and later moved to Minneapolis.<ref name="aljazeera"/> She attended North Dakota State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in political science and international studies.<ref>[https://www.ndsu.edu/magazine/vol14_number01/excerpts.html NDSU Magazine excerpt of Ilhan Omar] ''North Dakota State University Magazine''.</ref> Prior to joining the House of Representatives, she served as a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 60B district.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/ilhan-omar-america-first-somali-american-muslim-woman-legislator-is-elected-a7406391.html Ilhan Omar: Former refugee is elected as America's first Somali-American Muslim woman legislator] ''The Independent''. 9 November 2016.</ref>

On November 8, 2016, after nine Somali-American men were charged for conspiring to support the Islamic State,<ref>{{cite news|title=[https://www.businessinsider.com/minnesota-man-sentencedpol-for-conspiring-to-support-isis-2016-11 Minnesota man sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiring to support ISIS]|work=BusinessInsider|date=November 15, 2016}}</ref> Ilhan Omar wrote a letter to the U.S. District Judge of Minnesota, asking for a "restoration approach" instead of a "long-term prison sentence", as it is done for "patients with chemicals dependencies".<ref>{{cite web|title=[https://www.snopes.com/uploads/2019/01/Yasin-Daud-USA-Sentencing-Memo.pdf Letter to Judge M. J. Davis]}}</ref>

==Views and policy positions==
Ilhan Omar's relationship with the socialist label is complex to say the least.<ref>[https://theintercept.com/2018/09/20/is-ilhan-omar-donald-trumps-worst-nightmare/ Is Ilhan Omar Trump's Worst Nightmare?]</ref><ref>[https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/03/08/ilhan-omar-dean-phillips-minnesota-democratic-party-225696 The Democrats' dilemma]</ref> Policy-wise she supports universal healthcare (which extends to price control for medical drugs, wider access to abortion, [[birth control|contraceptives]], vasectomies, prenatal and postpartum care, and [[STD]] and [[cancer]] screenings),<ref>[https://www.ilhanomar.com/healthcare Provide Healthcare Coverage for All] ''Ilhan for Congress''.</ref> increasing [[taxes]] on the wealthiest Americans, establishing a Federal jobs guarantee, raising the national [[minimum wage]] to $15, reinstating the Glass-Steagall Act and breaking up banking monopolies, and repealing so-called [[right-to-work law|right-to-work laws]].<ref name="economy">[https://www.ilhanomar.com/economy Establish Economic Justice for Working Families] ''Ilhan for Congress''.</ref> She also expresses interest in worker cooperatives.<ref name="economy"/>

She supports [[American Equality Bill|LGBT rights]], including banning [[conversion therapy]],<ref>[https://www.ilhanomar.com/lgbtqia Fight for LGBTQIA+ Rights] ''Ilhan for Congress''</ref> opposes [[Donald Trump]]'s ban on transgender people serving in the military<ref>[https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1087765802986754048 Twitter post] 22 Jan 2019.</ref> and supports reforms to combat injustice in the criminal justice system by legalizing [[marijuana]], abolishing mandatory minimum sentences, and wants to address drug addiction as a health issue rather than a legal one,<ref name="justice">[https://www.ilhanomar.com/criminaljusticereform Re-imagine Our Criminal Justice System] ''Ilhan for Congress''.</ref> by abolishing [[Privatization#Legal system and prisons|private prisons]], and by restoring voting rights for felons, and banning [[racial profiling]].

Omar supports the Keep It in the Ground Act,<ref group=note>Prohibits new extraction of fossil fuels from below Federal land and water.</ref> wants to end all subsidies to [[fossil fuel]] companies, and has the goal of ensuring 100% renewable energy by 2035<ref>[https://www.ilhanomar.com/environment Ensure Environmental Justice & Energy Independence] ''Ilhan for Congress''.</ref> and also supports [[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]]'s Green New Deal proposal.<ref>[https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/01/30/climate-cast-ilhan-omar-green-new-deal Ilhan Omar: Green New Deal would help Minnesota, could pass House] ''MPR News''. Jan 20, 2019.</ref> Like AOC, Omar wants to abolish ICE, opposes deportation and detention programs, opposes the family separation and child detention policies of both Donald Trump and [[Barack Obama]],<ref name="newsweek">[https://www.newsweek.com/ilhan-omar-barack-obama-cages-drones-1356997 Ilhan Omar rebukes Barack Obama for 'caging of kids' and 'droning of countries around the world'] ''Newsweek''. 3/8/19.</ref> supports sanctuary cities, opposes [[Donald Trump]]'s [[Great Wall of America|border wall]], and supports the prosecution of federal officials accused of physical and sexual assault of people in detention.<ref>[https://www.ilhanomar.com/immigration/ Create a Just Immigration System] ''Ilhan for Congress''.</ref>

On foreign policy, she's in favor of [[boycott]]ing and sanctioning [[Saudi Arabia]],<ref>[https://www.minnpost.com/national/2018/12/whos-afraid-of-ilhan-omar-saudi-arabia-for-one/ Who’s afraid of Ilhan Omar? Saudi Arabia, for one] ''MinnPost''. 12/18/2018.</ref> and while she stated that she did not support Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel during her House campaign, she backed the movement after she was elected.<ref>[https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/muslim-trailblazer-ilhan-omar-admits-she-backs-bds-1.6654634 Muslim Trailblazer Ilhan Omar Admits She Backs BDS — Now That Election Is Over] ''Haaretz''. Nov 14, 2018.</ref>

==Political career==
[[File:Ilhan Omar for Congress - Twin Cities Pride Parade 2018, Minneapolis, Minnesota (28131759337).jpg|thumb|right|250px|Omar at a Minnesota LGBT pride parade.]]
In 2016 she was elected into the Minnesota House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor-Party and on April 20, 2017, Ilhan Omar was one of the two members who voted against HF1397,<ref name=hf1397>{{cite web|title=[https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/cco/journals/2017-18/J0420045.htm#4372 Votes on bill HF1397]}}</ref> a bill allowing life insurance companies to deny payouts to beneficiaries dead as a result of their furtherance of terrorism. The bill was proposed in response of December 2015 San Bernardino shooting, when Syed Farook killed 14 people and injured 22, then died in a shootout with police, and his mother fought to remain the beneficiary of insurance policies worth $275,000.<ref>{{cite web|title=[https://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/sessiondaily/SDView.aspx?StoryID=12567 Life insurance ‘the way it should be’ – not for terrorists]}}</ref> The bill passed with 127-2 votes.<ref name=hf1397/>

In the 2018 midterms she ran for Minnesota's 5th congressional seat and won, joining the Congressional Progressive Caucus soon after being worn in. Her candidacy was endorsed by the {{wpl|Justice Democrats||.}}<ref>[https://justicedemocrats.com/candidate/ilhan-omar/ Ilham Omar], justicedemocrats.com.</ref> As a member of the House of Representatives she voted to end United States involvement in the [[Yemeni Civil War]],<ref>[http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll083.xml FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 83] ''House.gov''. 13-Feb-2019.</ref> voted in favor of the For the People Act,<ref>[https://votesmart.org/bill/votes/66405#.XJ7hsphKhPY HR 1 - For the People Act of 2019 - Voting Record] ''VoteSmart''. March 8, 2019.</ref> which would require paper ballots in Federal elections, designate Election Day as a Federal holiday, restore the provisions of the [[Voting Rights Act]], ''Shelby County v. Holder'', mandate presidents and vice presidents to release their tax returns, mandate presidential inaugural committees to disclose expenditures and curb super-PACs that support individual candidates,<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2019/01/05/682286587/house-democrats-introduce-anti-corruption-bill-as-symbolic-first-act House Democrats Introduce Anti-Corruption Bill As Symbolic 1st Act] ''NPR''. January 5, 2019.</ref> and opposed the proposed military intervention in [[Venezuela]].<ref>[https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1089689549033406469 Twitter post] 27 Jan 2019.</ref>

Omar was later reelected to a second 2020 with 64.3% of the vote over Republican Lacy Johnson and pro-Marijuana left-wing third-party candidate Michael Moore{{efn|Not that [[Michael Moore]]}} in 2020. 

In 2022, Omar would barely survive the Democratic primary by 2.1% over former Minneapolis City Council and school board member  Don Samuels who was endorsed by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and the Star-Tribune.<ref>https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/why-ilhan-omar-almost-lost-her-primary/</ref>

==Controversies==
[[File:Ilhan Omar, MN House DFL Press Conference (34128139392).jpg|thumb|right|300px|Omar at a pro-choice rally in Minnesota.]]
As one of the three [[Islam|Muslim]] members of Congress and a relative newcomer to politics, Omar has made some blunders, though some of these are the result of media bias and [[Islamophobia|Islamophobia.]]

When the House Foreign Affairs Committee heard the opinion of so-called experts on the unfolding Venezuela crisis, her arguments against sactions were [[Manufactroversy|treated as]] being [[PIDOOMA|''ex culo'']].<ref>[https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1090001125493874689 Twitter post] 28 Jan 2019.</ref><ref>https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-ilhan-omars-attempt-to-shame-elliot-abrams-backfired</ref> The media portrayed her as being out of line in spite of her correctly pointing out that Trump's special envoy Elliot Abrams had been involved in the Iran-Contra along with various military coups in the 1980s (admittedly, it didn't really help that she didn't seem to actually know his name).<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/rep-ilhan-omar-clashes-with-iran-contra-convict-elliott-abrams-over-us-role-in-central-american Omar blast Abram for role in Central American coups]</ref>

On March 23, 2019, during a [[CAIR]] meeting, Ilhan Omar stated "CAIR was founded after [[9/11]], because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to [[USA PATRIOT Act|lose]] [[Guantanamo Bay|access]] to our [[civil liberties]]."<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNSl3JiylWE</ref> CAIR was actually founded in 1994.<ref>https://www.cair.com/about_us</ref> Next month, the [[New York Post]] released an article headlined "Rep. Ilhan Omar: 9/11 was 'some people did something' Here's your something... 2,977 dead by terrorism".<ref>{{cite news|title=[https://www.npr.org/2019/04/12/712643034/new-york-post-denounced-for-publishing-sept-11-photo-with-rep-ilhan-omar-words 'New York Post' Denounced For Publishing Sept. 11 Photo With Rep. Ilhan Omar's Words]|work=New York Post|date=April 12, 2019}}</ref> In response, Donald Trump tweeted out footage of Omar's statement interlaced with footage of the attacks, typing in all caps, "WE WILL NEVER FORGET!"<ref>[https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1116817144006750209 Twitter post] ''12 Apr 2019''.</ref> Ilhan Omar responded stating she had received an increase in death threats following her comments.<ref>[https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/438869-omar-says-she-has-faced-increasing-number-of-death-threats Omar says she has faced increase in death threats since Trump tweet] ''The Hill''. 04/14/19.</ref> Since then, many of Omar's colleagues have come out in support of her after the backlash.<ref>[https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1116859387199533057 Elizabeth Warren's response.] 12 Apr 2019.</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/BernieSanders/status/1116855482038272000 Bernie Sanders' response.] 12 Apr 2-19.</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/RashidaTlaib/status/1116832719185567745 Rashida Tlaib's response]</ref><ref>[https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1116848329776934912 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' response] 12 Apr 2019.</ref>

===Antisemitism allegations===
In 2018, Omar came under criticism for a 2012 tweet opining "[[Israel]] has hypnotized the world, may [[Allah]] awaken the people and help them see the [[evil]] doings of Israel.", a tweet that many have interpreted as [[Antisemitism|anti-Semitic]].<ref>[https://www.timesofisrael.com/woman-running-for-congress-in-minnesota-rejects-anti-semitism-accusations/ Woman running for Congress in Minnesota rejects anti-Semitism accusations] ''The Times of Israel". 8 July 2018.</ref> She apologized for her comment in January of next year, explaining "In all sincerity, it was after my [[CNN]] interview that I heard from Jewish orgs. that my use of the word 'Hypnotize' and the ugly sentiment it holds was offensive."<ref>[https://twitter.com/IlhanMN/status/1087580647085039616 Twitter post] 21 Jan 2019.</ref><ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/house/426425-rep-omar-apologizes-for-tweet-about-israel Rep. Omar apologizes for tweet about Israel] ''The Hill'' 01/22/19.</ref>

On February 10<sup>th</sup>, 2019, [[Glenn Greenwald]] tweeted about House Minority Leader [[Kevin McCarthy]]'s promise to punish Omar and fellow representative Rashida Tlaib for their opposition to Israel. Omar responded with "It's all about the Benjamins baby".<ref>[https://www.npr.org/2019/03/07/700901834/minnesota-congresswoman-ignites-debate-on-israel-and-anti-semitism Minnesota Congresswoman Ignites Debate On Israel And Anti-Semitism] ''NPR''. March 7, 2019.</ref> When asked on Twitter to clarify who she believed was paying American politicians to support Israel by ''Forward'' editor Batya-Ungar Sargon, she responded "AIPAC!"<ref>[https://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/watch/batya-ungar-sargon-and-peter-feld-discuss-rep-ilhan-omar-s-aipac-tweet-1444129347615 Batya Ungar-Sargon and Peter Feld discuss Rep. Ilhan Omar’s AIPAC tweet] ''MSNBC''. Feb. 17, 2019.</ref> She later apologized in part due to the backlash her comments received from House Speaker [[Nancy Pelosi]] and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer,<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/02/11/its-all-about-benjamins-baby-ilhan-omar-again-accused-anti-semitism-over-tweets/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.64992ac39353 Rep. Omar apologizes after House Democratic leadership condemns her comments as ‘anti-Semitic tropes’] ''The Washinton Post''. February 11<sup>th</sup>, 2019.</ref> as well as criticism from Senators Cory Booker and Kirsten Gillibrand.<ref>[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/kirsten-gillibrand-ilhan-omar_n_5c815a95e4b020b54d832f6b Kirsten Gillibrand Delivers Lukewarm Statement On Ilhan Omar] ''The Huffington Post''. 03/07/19.</ref> Despite the large opposition, she was defended by Senators [[Bernie Sanders]], [[Elizabeth Warren]] and [[Kamala Harris]].<ref>[https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/06/politics/bernie-sanders-defends-ilhan-omar/index.html Sanders, Harris and Warren defend Ilhan Omar amid controversy over Israel comments] ''CNN''. March 6, 2019.</ref>

===Neutrality in recognizing the Armenian genocide===
In October of 2019, the US House of Representatives voted on resolution H.Res.296 to formally recognize [[Armenian genocide denial|the mass killings of Armenians]] by the Ottomans as a genocide. Omar [[inverse stopped clock|unfortunately]] voted "present" on this issue which is neither in favor or against the motion, which passed with 405 in favor and 11 against (unsurprisingly, all of them Republicans),<ref>http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2019/roll591.xml</ref> not including "present" votes.<ref>https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/ilhan-omar-faces-blowback-after-voting-present-armenian-genocide-resolution-n1073991</ref> Omar's reason, as of CNN reporting, was:<ref>https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ilhan-omar-armenia-genocide-vote-resolution-pelosi-ottoman-turks-syria-trump-kurds-a9177796.html</ref>

{{quotebox|1=I believe accountability for human rights violations—especially ethnic cleansing and genocide—is paramount. But accountability and recognition of genocide should not be used as a cudgel in a political fight. It should be done based on academic consensus outside the push and pull of geopolitics. A true acknowledgement of historical crimes against humanity must include both the heinous genocides of the 20th century, along with earlier mass slaughters like the transatlantic slave trade and Native American genocide, which took the lives of hundreds of millions of indigenous people in this country. For this reason, I voted 'present' on final passage of H.Res. 296, the resolution Affirming the United States record on the Armenian Genocide.}}

On the surface a valid criticism of selective recognition of genocides (similar to what [[Noam Chomsky]] has said about the Bosnian Genocide by former Yugoslavia), it is [[Whataboutism|a bad argument]]. By her logic, the [[Holocaust]] shouldn't be recognized as long as the {{wpl|Romani_genocide|Porajmos}} (Romani genocide) — which happened simultaneously to the [[Holocaust]] — isn't recognized either. If she voted in favor of the motion and also promoted recognition of other genocides, that would've been perfectly valid reasoning, because partisanship in regards to historical facts is disingenuous and disgusting.

Some commentators have attributed this attitude to the Somali community’s close relations to Turkish interests.<ref>[https://interzine.org/2020/02/26/making-sense-of-ilhan-omars-connection-to-recep-tayyip-erdogan/ Making Sense of Ilhan Omar’s Connection to Recep Tayyip Erdogan]</ref><ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/erdogan-ally-met-omar-contributed-124904962.html Erdogan ally met with Omar, contributed to her campaign]</ref>

==Wingnut harassment==
As a Muslim woman in Congress, Omar has been a target for white supremacists and wingnuts.<ref>[https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/the-dangerous-bullying-of-ilhan-omar The dangerous bullying of Ilhan Omar]</ref>

In February 2019, Coast Guard lieutenant and [[white nationalist]] Christopher Hasson was arrested after stockpiling weapons and drawing up a hit list of numerous politicians and media figures, Omar being included in the list.<ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/news/christopher-paul-hasson-coast-guard-officer-prosecutors-call-domestic-terrorist-to-remain-jailed/ Coast Guard officer accused of drafting hit list of prominent Democrats to remain jailed] ''CBS News''. February 21, 2019.</ref> Later that month, graffiti was found in a Rogers, Minnesota gas station bathroom reading "Assassinate Ilhan Omar", resulting in an [[FBI]] investigation in March.<ref>[https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/03/02/fbi-investigating-graffiti-targeting-ilhan-omar FBI investigating graffiti targeting Rep. Ilhan Omar] ''MPR News''. Mar 2, 2019.</ref> On March 1, at a [[West Virginia]] [[Republican Party]] event, an exhibitor put up a poster falsely linking Omar to [[9/11]].<ref>[https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/gop-s-anti-muslim-display-likening-rep-omar-terrorist-rocks-n978371 GOP's anti-Muslim display likening Rep. Omar to a terrorist rocks W. Virginia capitol] ''NBC News''. March 1, 2019.</ref> On April 7, 2019, a Trump supporter was arrested in relation to a phone call he made to one of Omar's staffers on March 21, saying "Do you work for the [[Muslim Brotherhood]]? Why are you working for [Ilhan Omar], she’s a fucking terrorist. I’ll put a bullet in her fucking skull."<ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/apr/07/trump-islamophobia-ilhan-omar-alexandria-ocasio-cortez Trump under fire over Islamophobia after man threatens to kill Ilhan Omar] ''The Guardian''. ''7 Apr 2019''.</ref> He was found to have stockpiled six illegally owned [[gun|guns]] and over 1,000 bullets.<ref>[https://www.rollcall.com/news/guns-found-in-new-york-home-of-man-who-threatened-to-shoot-rep-ilhan-omar Man making death threat to Rep. Ilhan Omar had over 1,000 bullets and illegal guns] ''Roll Call''. Apr 23, 2019.</ref>

On March 9, [[Fox News]] host Jeanine Pirro said of her, "Omar wears a [[hijab]], which, according to the {{Quran|33|59}}, tells women to cover so they won’t get molested. [[Just asking questions|Is her adherence to this Islamic doctrine]] indicative of her adherence to [[Sharia law]], which in itself is antithetical to the [[United States Constitution]]?"<ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/media/434442-fox-news-suspended-host-pirro-over-omar-comments-report Fox News suspended host Jeanine Pirro over Omar comments: report] ''The Hill''. 3/17/19.</ref> This resulted in her block being bumped from the air for three weeks.<ref>[https://thehill.com/homenews/media/435217-fox-news-host-jeanine-pirro-to-be-bumped-for-second-straight-week-following Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be bumped for second-straight week following Omar comments] ''The Hill''. 3/21/19.</ref>

On July 9, resident [[Fox News]] [[White nationalism|white nationalist]]<ref>[https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/03/12/new-tucker-carlson-audio-released-this-time-using-racist-homophobic-language/ Fox News host Tucker Carlson uses racist, homophobic language in second set of recordings] by Michael Brice-Saddler & Eli Rosenberg (March 11 at 9:41 PM) ''The Washington Post''.</ref> [[Tucker Carlson]] levied a series of racist accusations against Omar stemming from her immigration. He said, "Omar has a lot to be grateful for, but she isn't grateful...she hates this country more than ever."<ref>https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/07/10/ilhan-omar-calls-tucker-carlson-racist-fool-after-he-describes-her-threat-us/?utm_term=.69deb8be9e94</ref> Carlson seems to be under the impression that immigrants only come to the United States because, "America likes to help. It makes us feel good," but the current system, "...designed to strengthen America is instead undermining it."

{{cquote|In Omar’s version, America wasn’t the bighearted country that saved her from a brutal war and a bleak refugee camp. It wasn’t a meritocracy that helped her attend college or vaulted her into Congress. Instead, it was the country that had failed to live up to its founding ideals, a place that had disappointed her and so many immigrants, refugees and minorities like her.|||Carlson basically giving the game away}}

Carlson doubled down on his statements the following night, saying, "She [Omar] has undisguised contempt for the United States and its people."<ref>https://www.huffpost.com/entry/tucker-carlson-ilhan-omar-fox-news_n_5d269326e4b0cfb596006121</ref> Later a guest stated that "...if she wasn't a member of Congress, she would be a member of the [[Ku Klux Klan|KKK]]." Omar responded to the July 9th attack by calling Carlson "...a racist fool."<ref>https://t.co/nRS13yWivK</ref>

===Drawing the ire of the former [[Donald Trump|President]]....===
Rep. Omar was the subject of a [https://www.vox.com/2019/7/15/20694616/donald-trump-racist-tweets-omar-aoc-tlaib-pressley racist tweetstorm] from then-Pres. Trump in 2019. Though the sentiment overall isn't new, the language of "go[ing] back where they came from" is an old racist trope, grounded in centuries of [[xenophobia]] and [[Nationalist pseudohistory|nativism]]. Beyond the obvious irony of Mr. Trump saying [https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/07/15/who-offered-this-criticism-us-trump-or-democratic-congresswoman/ people who complain about America should leave], as well as including three other Congressional Representatives ([[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]] (NY-14), {{wpl|Ayanna Pressley}} (MA-7) and {{wpl|Rashida Tlaib}} (MI-13)) who were born in the United States, Pres. Trump has insisted that these women are [[McCarthyism|anti-American]]. Rep Omar responded to the [https://www.newsweek.com/reps-omar-pressley-tlaib-respond-trump-telling-them-go-back-where-they-came-this-racism-1449177 initial tweets] the same day, and on July 15 [https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/07/15/ilhan-omar-response-trump-remarks-sot-vpx-tsr.cnn Rep. Omar and her three colleagues held a press conference], where Rep. Omar called for impeaching the president.

Pres. Trump managed to absorb all the oxygen in the news cycle for a week. Featuring July 15th [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/15/us/politics/trump-go-back-tweet-racism.html statements] and [https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-updates-trump-tweets-saturday-july-15-htmlstory.html tweets], Pres. Trump tripled down saying he "doesn't have a Racist bone in my body!" (but of course we all know that racism is found in the gonads, which sadly [[Donald Trump Jr.|we]] {{wpl|Eric Trump|know}} {{wpl|Ivanka Trump|he}} {{wpl|Tiffany Trump|has|).}} The House [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/16/us/politics/trump-tweet-house-vote.html officially rebuked] the President for his comments. Trump continued the racist train on July 17th with rally in Greenville, [[NC]] that featured a [[1984|two minutes of hate]] where rally participants [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYCEHQ7HEAk chanted "Send her back]", after Trump referenced Rep. Omar, for 13 seconds. The following day Trump said he [[Bullshit|felt bad about the chant and actually tried to stop it]], but when you consider [https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-im-starting-to-agree-with-lock-her-up-chants he has lied about shit like this before], it's safe to say he doesn't mean it. Not to mention that the video of the event shows he did or said fuck all while the chanting was going on, not even signalling displeasure or discomfort with his body language, but simply waited for the chant to die down on its own.

===...as well as a Congresswoman===
In a developing story, Omar has been subject to harassment from Colorado Representative [[Lauren Boebert]].<ref>[https://omar.house.gov/media/press-releases/rep-ilhan-omar-statement-conversation-rep-lauren-boebert Rep. Ilhan Omar Statement on Conversation with Rep. Lauren Boebert], Omar, Nov 29, 2021</ref>

===Incest allegations===
Another bizarre far-right theory which Trump has promoted is that Omar once married her brother Ahmed Nur Said Elmi as an immigration scam. She did marry an Elmi in 2009 but they are not related. This rumor has been going around since 2016 and has been raised by other right wingers including [[Dinesh D'Souza]], [[Rush Limbaugh]], [[Jack Posobiec]], and [[Tucker Carlson]]. It was apparently first raised by a troll on the Somali Spot website, who produced no evidence, and this post was later deleted. In corroboration someone found a social media post in which someone who might have been Elmi referred to her as "sister", but this word is a common term of endearment among non-relatives in Somali culture (much as "brother" or "sister" is in black American culture). As refugees from Somalia's civil war, her family's record-keeping wasn't terribly organised, but Omar has repeatedly denied that Elmi is her brother; she has shown legal documents relating to her family's immigration to the US that list her siblings and don't mention him. In addition, the claimed immigration scam where she married her brother to get him citizenship would make no sense as all her siblings were eligible for US citizenship. And since her mother died when she was 2, and Elmi is reportedly 3 years younger than her, other things don't add up. But as with [[Obama citizenship denial]] no evidence will suffice for some people.<ref>[https://www.thedailybeast.com/how-the-ilhan-omar-marriage-smear-went-from-an-anonymous-post-on-an-obscure-forum-to-being-embraced-by-trump?ref=home How the Ilhan Omar Marriage Smear Went From Fever Swamp to Trump], The Daily Beast, July 19, 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ilhan-omar-marry-brother/ Did U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar Marry Her Brother?], Snopes, Feb 15, 2019</ref>

==See also==
*[[Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez]], her colleague.
*[[Keith Ellison]], her MN-5 predecessor.

==External links==
*[https://omar.house.gov/ Official House website]
*[https://www.facebook.com/IlhanMN/ Official Facebook page]
*[https://twitter.com/IlhanMN Official Twitter account]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Omar, Ilhan}}
[[Category:Anti-war activists]]
[[Category:Left-wing activists]]
[[Category:LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Members of the United States House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Muslims]]
[[Category:Social justice]]
[[Category:Socialists]]
[[Category:United States politicians]]

Categories: Anti-war activists, Left-wing activists, LGBTQ rights activists, Living people, Members of the United States House of Representatives, Muslims, Social justice, Socialists, United States politicians