Ilhan Omar is an American politician who has been representing Minnesota’s 5th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, Omar previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019, where she represented a portion of Minneapolis.
Bio/Wiki
Age- 41 years
Full name- Ilhan Abdullahi Omar
Height- 1.62 m
Weight-52kg
Born- 4 October 1982
Birthplace-Mogadishu, Somalia
Spouse-Tim Mynett (m. 2020), Ahmed Hirsi (m. 2018–2019), Ahmed Nur Said Elmi (m. 2009–2017)
Profession-Politician, United States Representative
Office- Representative (D-MN 5th District) since 2019
Nationality- American, Somali
Parents
Ilhan Omar’s parents are Nur Omar Mohamed and Fadhuma Abukar Haji Hussein. Her father served as a colonel in the Somali army under Siad Barre and also worked as a teacher trainer. Ilhan Omar’s father Died from Coronavirus Complications. Sadly, her mother, passed away when Ilhan was just two years old.
Sibling
Ilhan Omar was the youngest among seven siblings, which included her sister Sahra Noor.
Husband
In 2002, Omar entered marriage with Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi. They followed their faith tradition in divorcing in 2008. In 2009, Omar wed Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British Somali. Their legal divorce took place in 2017. Then, in March 2020, Omar married Tim Mynett, a political consultant. Mynett’s firm, the E Street Group, received $2.78 million in contracts from Omar’s campaign during the 2020 cycle.
Children
With Hirsi, Omar had three children together: Isra Hirsi, Adnan Hirsi, and Ilwad Hirsi.
Education
Omar completed her high school education at Thomas Edison High School, graduating in 2001, where she actively participated as a student organizer. Later, she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science and international studies from North Dakota State University in 2011. Additionally, she served as a Policy Fellow at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
Career
Omar’s career began as a community nutrition educator at the University of Minnesota from 2006 to 2009. She then managed political campaigns, including Kari Dziedzic’s reelection in 2012. She later worked as a child nutrition outreach coordinator at the Minnesota Department of Education. In 2013, she managed Andrew Johnson’s campaign for Minneapolis City Council and became his senior policy aide until 2015. In 2016, she ran for the Minnesota House of Representatives and won, making history as the first Somali-American legislator in the U.S. Her term started on January 3, 2017.
U.S. House of Representatives
On June 5, 2018, Omar announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota’s 5th congressional district, following the decision of six-term incumbent Keith Ellison not to seek reelection. She secured the Democratic nomination in the August 11 primary, facing four opponents, notably mediation lawyer Antone Melton-Meaux, who raised significantly more funds, largely from pro-Israel groups. Despite challenges, Omar prevailed in the primary, narrowly defeating former Minneapolis councilman Don Samuels.
In the aftermath of the 2021 United States Capitol attack, Omar described the experience as deeply traumatizing. She serves as the deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and advocates for various progressive policies including a $15 minimum wage, universal healthcare, and the protection of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).
As a vocal critic of Israel, Omar supports the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has condemned Israel’s settlement policies and military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. In February 2023, the Republican-controlled House voted to remove Omar from her seat on the Foreign Affairs Committee due to concerns over her statements about Israel.
Omar holds historic significance as the first Somali American and woman of color to represent Minnesota in Congress, and one of the first two Muslim women alongside Rashida Tlaib. Despite her achievements, she has faced numerous death threats and derogatory comments, including from former President Donald Trump, due to her background.
Threats and Controversies Surrounding Ilhan Omar
In February 4, 2014, Omar was attacked and injured during a DFL caucus for Minnesota’s House of Representatives District 60B, where she was organizing the event. She suffered a concussion and was hospitalized.
In February 2019, the FBI arrested a man plotting to assassinate Omar, among other political figures. Another individual was arrested for threatening to assault and murder Omar in April 2019. Omar has also faced numerous death threats, particularly after being targeted by President Trump’s comments about her and 9/11.
She has frequently been subjected to online hate speech and Islamophobic attacks. Trump’s tweets and remarks about Omar and her colleagues, as well as a false interpretation of her comments on 9/11, have fueled further controversy and incited hatred towards her. Additionally, comments by other politicians, such as Lauren Boebert, have contributed to the anti-Muslim sentiment Omar faces.
Net Worth
Omar’s estimated net worth stands at around $16 million.
Latest News about Ilhan Omar
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Call for Pentagon Accountability
Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., is pressing the Pentagon to address a Somali family’s grievances following an investigation into a 2018 U.S. drone strike that claimed the lives of a woman and her 4-year-old daughter. Omar is urging the Pentagon to reach out to the family, offer compensation, and prioritize acknowledgment of the truth. She emphasizes the importance of independent investigations into such attacks and criticizes the flaws in the U.S. drone program, which has resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent civilians over two decades.
Omar’s call for action aligns with similar demands from other elected officials and human rights organizations, urging the Pentagon to compensate the affected family for the tragic outcome of the 2018 drone strike in Somalia.
In response to such concerns, the Defense Department has issued its long-awaited “Instruction on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response,” outlining policies, responsibilities, and procedures for addressing civilian harm. This includes measures such as providing condolences and ex gratia payments to the next of kin affected by such incidents.
