February 2, 2023
Issue: Fighting Bigotry
Muslim Advocates Condemns Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Removal From Foreign Affairs Committee
Washington, DC — Today, members of the House Foreign Affairs Committee voted to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from the committee. Rep. Omar is the first Muslim and African-born member of Congress to serve as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Previously, Muslim Advocates and Bend the Arc: Jewish Action sent a letter asking for an ethics investigation of Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-CO) and Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA) for their anti-Muslim rhetoric directed at Rep. Omar and other Muslim members of Congress.
The following is a statement from Muslim Advocates Senior Policy Counsel Sumayyah Waheed:
“The hypocritical, cynical and meritless decision to remove Rep. Omar from the House Foreign Affairs Committee is purely about the cheap politics of attacking a Black Muslim woman and a refugee for professional gain. This action sends a chilling message to Muslims and other marginalized people that we are not welcome in the halls of power and our identities are fair game for political attacks. But we have always been here, we will not be silenced and neither will Rep. Omar.
The U.S. has, from its founding, denied equal rights, protections and even personhood from Muslims, starting with the enslaved Africans who were among the first Muslims in the ‘new’ country—leading to a grim lasting legacy. From those days to historic and ongoing police surveillance and harassment of Black Muslims to the discriminatory post-9/11 security state to Donald Trump’s Muslim Ban, Muslims have consistently been an easy target for politicians looking to score political points. The members of Congress who voted to remove Rep. Omar from her committee are continuing that same shameful tradition.”
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Muslim Advocates is a national civil rights organization working in the courts, in the halls of power and in communities to halt bigotry in its tracks. We ensure that American Muslims have a seat at the table with expert representation so that all Americans may live free from hate and discrimination.