Press Releases
WASHINGTON – Today, 34 members of the House and Senate sent a letter to President Trump asking his administration to end sanctions against Iran, as the nation copes with COVID-19. The letter was also endorsed by 13 signatory groups. In a particularly troubling development, the Trump administration levied additional sanctions against Iran on March 18. The full letter is attached.
MINNEAPOLIS—Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) released the following statement after speaking with Holland America parent company Carnival Corporation & PLC about steps to provide medical care to passengers on board the Holland America cruise ship MS Zandaam. On Friday, four passengers were reported dead on the cruise ship. 138 have reported flu-like symptoms and two have now tested positive for COVID-19. There are at least six Minnesotans on Zandaam—four of whom are ill.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Bernie Sanders today led a bicameral letter to Amazon requesting detailed information into how the company plans to protect their warehouse workers, who remain on the job during this dire public health emergency. This issue has become all the more urgent since workers at 10 Amazon warehouses tested positive for COVID-19 as of this week. Rep. Omar and Sen.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) led a letter to House leadership today calling for measures to ensure the protection of refugees, asylees, and other immigrants in emergency legislation responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Members requested that funding for refugee admissions be included in future coronavirus emergency legislation, that refugee admissions are resumed expeditiously, and that the Administration extend validity periods for visas and security checks to account for coronavirus-related delays.
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswomen Ilhan Omar (D-MN) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) introduced the Student Debt Emergency Relief Act, legislation that provides immediate monthly payment relief for federal student loan borrowers, cancels at least $30,000 in outstanding student loan debt per borrower, and shields borrowers from any involuntary payments and garnishment during the public health crisis.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) led a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf calling for a suspension of interior immigration enforcement, a deportation freeze, a freeze to in-person immigration court proceedings, and a comprehensive plan to prevent an outbreak in immigration detention facilities during the COVID-19 epidemic. The letter was signed by Reps. Rashida Tlaib, Debbie Dingell, Joseph P. Kennedy III, Barbara Lee, David E. Price, Raúl M. Grijalva, Scott Peters, Henry C.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Omar today announced a bold package of bills to swiftly bring vital economic assistance to all Americans and small businesses during this coronavirus crisis and ensure those funds are not going to fossil fuel executives.
WASHINGTON—Rep. Omar today shared updates on her office's response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), including legislation she introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, coordination with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz's office, internal office policies, and constituent services during the COVID-19 outbreak.
WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05), a member of the Committee on Education and Labor, unveiled a bill to protect students' access to school meal benefits during school closures. As of March 10,621 schools have been closed or are scheduled to close, affecting more than 430,000 students and jeopardizing access to a critical source of nutrition for students across the country.
WASHINGTON—Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), James P. McGovern, Angie Craig, Gwen Moore, Betty McCollum, Andy Levin, Alan Lowenthal, Ron Kind, andRashida Tlaib sent a letter to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) today about reports that the administration is preparing "reintegration" facilities so that they can deport Hmong and Lao people to a country where they don't speak the language or have family.