Rep. Ilhan Omar, U.S. Congresswoman representing Minnesota’s 5th district since 2019, announced her new role as Chair of the Promoting Peace and Security Task Force in a series of tweets on July 16, 2025.
In her first post at 17:12 UTC, Omar wrote, “Honored to be the new Chair of the Promoting Peace and Security Task Force. As someone who lived through war, I’ve seen the real impact of conflict, and I believe we need a foreign policy that starts with investing in diplomacy and peace.”
Later that day at 18:03 UTC, she addressed concerns about Afghan refugees and U.S. policy under former President Donald Trump. She stated, “While Afghan refugees across the world are being deported back to perilous conditions, the Trump Administration is abandoning our allies, working to end their protected status in the United States, and separating families that are at risk because of us.” In a follow-up tweet posted one minute later, Omar added: “The courts are blocking Trump’s actions because they know it’s a heartless betrayal of our Afghan allies. We must continue to do everything we can to uphold the promise we made to the ones who fought for us.”
Omar has been serving in Congress since replacing Keith Ellison in 2019 after previously holding office in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2017 to 2019. Born in Mogadishu, Somalia in 1982 and currently residing in Minneapolis, she has frequently drawn on her personal experiences as a refugee when discussing issues related to war and immigration policy. Omar holds a BA from North Dakota State University.
