Ilhan Abdullahi Omar is an American politician serving as the U.S. Representative for Minnesota’s 5th congressional district since 2019. Profoundly inspirational Ilhan Omar quotes will challenge the way you think, and make your life worth living.
Famous Ilhan Omar Quotes
They can attack, spin my words and vilify me, but they will not succeed in silencing me! – Ilhan Omar
There’s a direct correlation between corporations that are getting rich, and the fact that we have students who are shackled with debt. There is a direct correlation between the White House and the people who are benefiting from detention beds that are profitized [sic]. – Ilhan Omar
Our democracy is built on debate, Congresswoman! I should not be expected to have allegiance/pledge support to a foreign country in order to serve my country in Congress or serve on committee. The people of the 5th elected me to serve their interest. I am sure we agree on that! – Ilhan Omar
What is really important to me is that people recognize that there is a difference between criticizing a military action by a government that has exercised really oppressive policies and being offensive or attacking to particular people of faith. – Ilhan Omar
A lot of the policies that we have put in place has kind of helped lead the devastation in Venezuela and we have sort of set the stage for where we are arriving today, this particular bullying and the use of sanctions to eventually intervene and make regime change really does not help the people ofcountries like Venezuela and it certainly does not help and is not in the interest of the United States. – Ilhan Omar
Netanyahu’s decision to deny us entry might be unprecedented for members of Congress, but it is the policy of his government when it comes to Palestinians, this is the policy of his government when it comes to anyone who holds views that threaten the occupation. A policy that has been edged on and supported by Trump’s administration, that’s because the only way to preserve unjust policy is to suppress people’s freedom of expression, freedom of association and freedom of movement. – Ilhan Omar
When this occupant of the White House chooses to attack me, we know — we know — that that attack isn’t for Ilhan, that attack is the continuation of the attacks that he has leveled against women, against people of color, against immigrants, against refugees and certainly against Muslims. – Ilhan Omar
To me, it’s something that becomes designed to end the debate because you get in this space of – yes, I know what intolerance looks like and I’m sensitive when someone says, ‘The words you used Ilhan, are resemblance of intolerance.’ And I am cautious of that and I feel pained by that. But it’s almost as if, every single time we say something regardless of what it is we say…we get to be labeled something. And that ends the discussion. Because we end up defending that and nobody ever gets to have the broader debate of what is happening with Palestine. So for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is okay to push for allegiance to a foreign country. – Ilhan Omar
We started this campaign to prove people are ready and willing to fight for an America that works for all of us. To every staff member, volunteer, donor, and voter, this win is just as much yours as it is mine, together, we will move our district, state and nation forward. – Ilhan Omar
So for me, I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it is OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country. And I want to ask, why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA, of fossil fuel industries, or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobby that is influencing policy? – Ilhan Omar
Seeking asylum is NOT illegal. – Ilhan Omar
Right now, House Democratic leaders are not rising to the moment. Children are dying at the hands of House Democratic leaders own government, thousands are being held indefinitely in cages. They’re being forced to sleep on the floor, and denied basic necessities like soap and toothpaste. – Ilhan Omar
I have taken I think every single opportunity I’ve gotten to make sure that people understand that my work and one of my responsibilities is to make sure that we are dealing with the issue of anti-Semitism. That as I fight hard to deal with Islamophobia that I am going to do the same thing because I understand that both of our communities are under threat with white supremacy. – Ilhan Omar
We must see others’ struggles as our own, and their success as our success, so we can speak to our common humanity. – Ilhan Omar
This country gave us hope. This country allowed for us to develop our own identity and to create our own home. And we should not look down on the next person that is trying to do that. – Ilhan Omar
So when I see Israel institute laws that recognize it as a Jewish state and does not recognize the other religions that are living in it and we still uphold it as a democracy in the Middle East, I almost chuckle… – Ilhan Omar
So to me, I say, raise hell; make people uncomfortable. – Ilhan Omar
Across this country, students whose families are struggling to afford school meals are being singled out and humiliated at lunchtime. – Ilhan Omar
I am much more interested in defending my ideas than defending my identities. – Ilhan Omar
I support a two-state solution—with an Israeli state side by side with a Palestinian state. That said, I will never apologize for standing up against oppression and injustice in Israel or anywhere else. – Ilhan Omar
The thing that was interesting in the class was every time the professor said’ al Qaeda’ he sort of like — his shoulders went up. – Ilhan Omar
The people — and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon ! was Bush downplaying the terrorist attack ? What if he was a Muslim. – Ilhan Omar
Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel. – Ilhan Omar
It doesn’t matter how good you are if you one day find yourself in a school where other religions are talked about, but when Islam is mentioned, we are only talking about terrorists. – Ilhan Omar
It is a mark of shame that in the wealthiest country in the world people are dying because they can’t afford lifesaving medicine. – Ilhan Omar
We are a nation of tremendous wealth. Hunger in this country is the result of policies that keep wages low and funnel wealth to the top. It is the result of a political system that says it is OK to spend money on tax breaks for millionaires and the same companies who taint our economy, but we can’t afford to fund meals for our kids in the streets. – Ilhan Omar
I know that I have a huge Jewish constituency, and you know, every time I meet with them they share stories of [the] safety and sanctuary that they would love for the people of Israel, and most of the time when we’re having the conversation, there is no actual relative that they speak of, and there still is lots of emotion that comes through because it’s family, right? Like my children still speak of Somalia with passion and compassion even though they don’t have a family member there. – Ilhan Omar
Far too long we have lived with the discomfort of being a second-class citizen, and frankly, I’m tired of it, and every single Muslim in this country should be tired of it. CAIR was founded after 9/11 because they recognized that some people did something and that all of us were starting to lose access to our civil liberties. – Ilhan Omar
Most of the things that have always been aggravating to me is that we have had a policy that makes one superior… When I see Israel institute… law that recognizes it as a Jewish state and does not recognize… the other religions that are living in it and we still uphold it as a democracy in the Middle East, I almost chuckle because I know that if… we see that in any other society we would criticize it… We would call it out… We do that to Iran. – Ilhan Omar
I want to talk about the political influence in this country that says it’s OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country. I want to ask why is it OK for me to talk about the influence of the NRA (National Rifle Association), of fossil fuel industries or Big Pharma, and not talk about a powerful lobbying group that is influencing policies? – Ilhan Omar
This is for us to say, this is for us to say that if you come after one of us, you come after all of us, if I survived militia I certainly can survive these people. – Ilhan Omar
You might have noticed how when he said go back to where you came from there was an uproar through all of our communities, because every single person who is brown or black, at some point in their life in this country, heard that. – Ilhan Omar
His’ locker room’ talk is now Oval Office talk. – Ilhan Omar
Our homelessness crisis is not a crisis of scarcity, but a crisis of moral clarity. – Ilhan Omar
So I know many [Members of Congress] were fighting for people to be free, for people to live in dignity in South Africa… So I know that they care about these things. But now that you have two Muslims who are saying, here is a group of people that we want to make sure that they have the dignity that you want everybody else to have, we get to be called names and we get to be labeled as hateful. No we know what hate looks like! – Ilhan Omar
Since the President’s tweet Friday evening, I have experienced an increase in direct threats on my life — many directly referencing or replying to the President’s video, i thank the Capitol Police, the FBI, the House Sergeant at Arms, and the Speaker of the House for their attention to these threats. – Ilhan Omar
No, we know what hate looks like. We experience it every single day. [applause] We have to deal with death threats. I have colleagues who talk about death threats. And sometimes… there are cities in my state where the gas stations have written on their bathrooms ‘assassinate Ilhan Omar.’ I have people driving around my district looking for my home, for my office, causing me harm. – Ilhan Omar
We don’t want anybody to get away with murder because they are polished. We want to recognize the actual policies that are behind the pretty face and the smile. – Ilhan Omar
We do want to create a system that is of the people, for the people. Many of the policies that we advocate, whether it is Medicare for all, or cancelling out student debt, or dealing with our climate crisis, most of those policies poll at 70 percent plus. – Ilhan Omar
As much as other people are uncomfortable, I’m excited about the change in tone that has taken place that is extremely positive … and my ability, I think, to agitate our foreign policy discussions in a way that many of my colleagues who have been anti-intervention, antiwar have been unable to do in the pas. So, I’m OK with taking the blows if it means it will ignite conversations that no one was willing to have before. – Ilhan Omar
In America, no one should die because they can’t afford healthcare. – Ilhan Omar
I’m going from the state House to the opportunity to serve in Congress and serve the people in the Fifth, which is a great honor and a great opportunity… It is something that is exciting to a few people, but, you know, often times it is important for us to own the moment, celebrate it, and then move on. – Ilhan Omar
I am told everyday that I am anti-American if I am not pro-Israel. I find that to be problematic and I am not alone. I just happen to be willing to speak up on it and open House Democrats to attacks. – Ilhan Omar
But we never really allow space for the stories of Palestinians seeking safety and sanctuary to be uplifted. And to me, it is the dehumanization and the silencing of a particular pain and suffering of people, should not be OK and normal. And you can’t be in the practice of humanizing and uplifting the suffering of one, if you’re not willing to do that for everyone. – Ilhan Omar
It is as if every time we say something that is supposed to be about foreign policy or engagement or the efficacy of ending oppression or the freeing of every human life and wanting dignity, we get labeled by something that end the discussion, because we end up defending that and no one gets to have the proper debate about what is happening in Palestine. – Ilhan Omar
And so, when people say ‘you are bringing hate,’ I know what their intention is. Their intention is to make sure that our lights are dimmed. That we walk around with our heads bowed. That we lower our face and our voice. – Ilhan Omar
Truly, this is a nation that sees itself as one that instills hope and is really about allowing people to pursue their dreams. – Ilhan Omar
I believe women and minorities often wait for permission to be invited to something; we need to stop doing that. – Ilhan Omar
And what I am fearful of is that because Rashida and I are Muslim, that a lot of Jewish colleagues, a lot of our Jewish constituents, a lot of our allies, go to thinking that everything we say about Israel, to be anti-Semitic, because we are Muslim. And so to me, it is something that becomes designed to end the debate. – Ilhan Omar
We’re here, we’re here to stay and represent the voice of the people who have been silenced for many decades and generations. – Ilhan Omar
I believe that healthcare is a basic human right. And the right to healthcare extends to being able to access prescription drugs at an affordable price. Americans pay the highest prices to access drugs in the world—including three times the price of drugs in Great Britain alone. Instead of taking donations from the pharmaceutical industry, we need to hold them accountable for taking advantage of the American people. – Ilhan Omar
This president has been credibly accused of committing multiple crimes, including colluding with a foreign government to interfere with our election. – Ilhan Omar
I would encourage my colleagues to visit, meet with the people we were going to meet with, see the things we were going to see, hear the stories we were going to hear, we can not let Donald Trump and Netanyahu succeed in hiding the cruel reality of the occupation from us. So I call on all of you to go. The occupation is real, barring members of Congress from seeing it does not make it go away. We must end it together. – Ilhan Omar
This is a man who has deep-seated animosity and hatred, who feels so small, who works so hard to make others feel beneath him and so I think it is even ludicrous for us to have the space to dignify what he says with an answer. – Ilhan Omar
