Rashida Tlaib | |
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رشيدة طليب | |
![]() Official portrait, 2024 | |
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromMichigan | |
Assumed office January 3, 2019 | |
Preceded by | Brenda Jones |
Constituency |
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Member of theMichigan House of Representatives | |
In office January 1, 2009 – December 31, 2014 | |
Preceded by | Steve Tobocman |
Succeeded by | Stephanie Chang |
Constituency | 12th district (2009–2012) 6th district (2013–2014) |
Personal details | |
Born | Rashida Harbi (1976-07-24)July 24, 1976 (age 48) Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Other political affiliations | Democratic Socialists of America |
Spouse | |
Children | 2 |
Education | Wayne State University (BA) Thomas M. Cooley Law School (JD) |
Signature | ![]() |
Website | House website |
Rashida Harbi Tlaib[a] (/təˈliːb/tə-LEEB; born July 24, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician serving as aU.S. representative from Michigan since 2019, representing the state's12th congressional district since 2023. A member of theDemocratic Party, she is the firstPalestinian American woman to serve in Congress and one of the first two Muslim women elected (along withIlhan Omar) to Congress.
Tlaib was born to working-classPalestinian immigrants in Detroit in 1976. She graduated fromSouthwestern High School in Detroit in 1994, fromWayne State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1998, and fromThomas M. Cooley Law School with aJuris Doctor in 2004. Tlaib wasadmitted to the bar in the state of Michigan in 2007. She began her political career in 2004 when she interned with State RepresentativeSteve Tobocman, who hired her to his staff when he became majority floor leader in 2007, and encouraged her to run for his seat the next year. She did so, and won the election.
Tlaib represented the6th and12th districts in theMichigan House of Representatives. She was the first Muslim woman to serve in Michigan's legislature. In 2018, she won the Democratic nomination and the general election for theUnited States House of Representatives inMichigan's 13th congressional district. Tlaib andAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez are the first female members ofDemocratic Socialists of America to serve in Congress. Tlaib is a member ofThe Squad, an informal group of U.S. representatives on the left wing of the Democratic Party.
As a U.S. representative, Tlaib has been a vocal critic of both theTrump andBiden administrations. She has argued in favor ofabolishingU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Tlaib voted to impeach PresidentDonald Trump in both2019 and2021. She is sharply critical ofIsrael, viewing it as anapartheid state. Tlaib has called for an end toU.S. aid to Israel; she supports theBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and aone-state solution to theIsraeli–Palestinian conflict. On November 7, 2023, Tlaib was censured by the House of Representatives in response to her public statements following theOctober 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Rashida Harbi was born in Detroit on July 24, 1976, the eldest of 14 children born to working-classPalestinian immigrants. Her mother was born inBeit Ur El Foka, near theWest Bank city ofRamallah. Her father was born inBeit Hanina, a neighborhood inEast Jerusalem.[1] He moved first toNicaragua, then to Detroit. He worked on anassembly line in aFord Motor Company plant. As the eldest, Tlaib played a role in raising her siblings while her parents worked.[2]
Tlaib attended elementary school at Harms, Bennett Elementary, and Phoenix Academy. She graduated fromSouthwestern High School in Detroit in 1994.[3] Tlaib received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science fromWayne State University in 1998[4][5] and herJuris Doctor fromThomas M. Cooley Law School in 2004.[6][7] Tlaib wasadmitted to the bar in the state of Michigan in 2007.[8]
Tlaib began her political career in 2004 when she interned with State RepresentativeSteve Tobocman. When Tobocman became Majority Floor Leader in 2007, he hired Tlaib to his staff.[9][10]In 2008 Tobocman encouraged Tlaib to run for his seat, which he was vacating due toterm limits. The urban district is 40%Hispanic, 25%African-American, 30%non-Hispanic white Americans, and 2%Arab American. Tlaib faced a crowded primary that included several Latinos, including former State Representative Belda Garza. She emerged victorious, carrying 44% of the vote in the eight-way Democratic primary and winning the general election with over 90% of the vote.[11]
In 2010, Tlaib faced a primary election challenge from Jim Czachorowski in his first bid for office.[12] Tlaib picked up 85% of the vote to Czachorowski's 15%,[13] and won the general election with 92% of the vote againstRepublican challenger Darrin Daigle.[14]
In 2012, Tlaib won reelection to the Michigan House in the newly redrawn 6th district.[15] Tlaib faced fellow incumbent Maureen Stapleton[15] in the Democratic primary and defeated her, 52%–45%.[13] She won the general election with 92% of the vote against Republican nominee Darrin Daigle.[16] Tlaib could not run for the Michigan House a fourth time in 2014 because of term limits;[17] instead, she ran for theMichigan Senate, losing to incumbent SenatorVirgil Smith Jr. in the 2014 Democratic primary, 50%–42%.[18]
Tlaib is the first Muslim woman to serve as a member of the Michigan State Legislature. She is also the second Muslim woman (afterJamilah Nasheed ofMissouri) to serve in a state legislature nationwide.[19]
After leaving the state legislature, Tlaib worked at Sugar Law Center, a Detroit nonprofit that provides free legal representation for workers.[20]
In 2018, Tlaib announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in Michigan's 13th congressional district.[21] Longtime RepresentativeJohn Conyers had resigned from Congress in December 2017 due to a sexual harassment scandal.[22] Tlaib filed in both the Democratic primary in thespecial election for the balance of Conyers's 27th term and in the general election for a full two-year term.
As of July 16, 2018, Tlaib had raised $893,030 in funds, more than her five opponents in the August 7 Democratic primary.[23] Tlaib, as a member of theJustice Democrats, made a guest appearance on the political interview showRebel HQ of the progressive media networkThe Young Turks (TYT).[24]
In the Democratic primary for the special election, Tlaib finished second toDetroit City Council presidentBrenda Jones, who received 32,727 votes (37.7% of the total) to Tlaib's 31,084 (35.9%). Bill Wild, mayor ofWestland, received 13,152 votes (15.2%) andIan Conyers, the great-nephew of former Congressman Conyers, took fourth with 9,740 (11.2%).[25]
In the Democratic primary for the general election, Tlaib defeated five other candidates.[26] She received 27,803 votes, or 31.2%.[27]
Tlaib faced no major-party opposition in the November 2018 general election, although Brenda Jones mounted an eleventh-hour write-in bid.[28] On Election Day, Tlaib became the first Palestinian-American woman to be elected to Congress.[29]
Brenda Jones challenged Tlaib in the 2020 Democratic primary. Tlaib won, 66%–34%,[30] spending over $2,000,000 in campaign funds[31] to Jones's $140,000.[32]
In 2022, following redistricting, Tlaib sought reelection in Michigan's newly drawn 12th congressional district.[33][34] She won the Democratic primary with 64% of the vote over three challengers,[35] and the general election with 71% of the vote over Republican Steven Elliott and Gary Walkowicz of theWorking Class Party.[36]
In 2024, Tlaib was unopposed in the Democratic primary. In the general election she won a third term in Congress with over 69% of the vote, defeating Republican nominee James Hooper (25.4%),Green Party nominee Brenda K. Sanders (2.3%), and Working Class Party nominee Gary Walkowicz (2.6%).[37]
Along with fellow DemocratIlhan Omar ofMinnesota, Tlaib is one of the first two Muslim women to serve in Congress.[4][38][24] She took the congressional oath of office on January 3, 2019, swearing in on an English-language translation of theQuran.[39][40] She wore athawb (thobe), a traditional embroidered Arab dress, to the swearing-in ceremony. This inspired a number of Palestinian and Palestinian-American women to share pictures on social media with thehashtag #TweetYourThobe.[41]
On August 15, 2019, Israel announced that Tlaib and her colleague Ilhan Omar would be denied entry into the country.[42] According toThe Times of Israel, Deputy Israeli Foreign MinisterTzipi Hotovely said Israel would not "allow those who deny our right to exist in this world to enter" and called it a "very justified decision".[42][43] It was reported that President Trump had pressedBenjamin Netanyahu's government to make such a decision.[44] The next day, Israeli authorities granted a request by Tlaib to visit her relatives in theIsraeli-occupied West Bank on humanitarian grounds and under certain restrictions on political statements.[45][46] Tlaib declined to go, saying that she did not want to make the trip "under these oppressive conditions".[47][46] The Israeli interior ministry stated that Tlaib had previously agreed to abide by any rules their government had set in exchange for being permitted to visit the country, and accused her of making a "provocative request aimed at bashing the State of Israel".[46]
On November 14, 2019, the House Ethics Committee announced that it was investigating whether Tlaib used congressional campaign money for personal expenses in violation of House rules.[48] In August 2020 the committee directed Tlaib to reimburse her campaign $10,800, stating that Tlaib has an "obligation to act in accordance with the strict technical requirements of federal campaign laws and regulations, including the restrictions on personal use of campaign funds".[49][50]
On October 26, 2023, RepresentativeMarjorie Taylor Greene proposed H.Res 829, which would have censured Tlaib for her criticism of Israel and for "leading an insurrection" after she participated in a protest at the Capitol. The resolution did not pass, with all Democrats and nearly two dozen Republicans voting against it[51][52][53] over concerns that the language was "too incendiary".[54] Tlaib called the resolution "deeplyIslamophobic" and said it attacked "peaceful Jewishanti-war advocates".[52]
On November 6, Tlaib issued a press release regarding Republicans' proposed censure resolutions against her. Tlaib said the proposed censure resolutions distorted her positions and were "filled with obvious lies". She added that she had "repeatedly denounced the horrific targeting and killing of civilians by Hamas and the Israeli government" and that she supported aceasefire to end the conflict.[55] Tlaib said the phrase "from the river to the sea" was "an aspirational call for freedom, human rights and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction or hate."[56]
The House of Representatives censured Tlaib on November 7, 2023. RepresentativeRich McCormick's censure resolution (H.Res 845) accused her of "promoting false narratives regarding the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and for calling for the destruction of the state of Israel."[54][57] The resolution stated that the phrase "from the river to the sea" is "a genocidal call to violence to destroy the state of Israel and its people to replace it with a Palestinian state extending from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea".[56] 212 Republicans and 22 Democrats voted for the resolution,[51][58][59] and 188 representatives (184 Democrats and four Republicans) against it.[60] During the debate on the House floor, Tlaib said that she wanted a ceasefire and "The cries of the Palestinian and Israeli children sound no different to me". RepresentativeBrad Schneider said that Tlaib was "trying to gaslight the world" by defending the "river to the sea" slogan and voted for the resolution, while RepresentativeKen Buck argued that it was not Congress's job "to censure somebody because we don't agree with them".[56]
On November 8,White House Press SecretaryKarine Jean-Pierre condemned Tlaib's use of the slogan "from the river to the sea".[61]
In September 2024, several politicians and media figures, including Michigan Attorney GeneralDana Nessel, CNN personalityJake Tapper, Michigan State SenatorJeremy Moss, andAnti-Defamation League CEOJonathan Greenblatt, criticized Tlaib for allegedly saying or insinuating that Nessel was prosecuting pro-Palestinian protesters because she is Jewish.[62] A fact check by theDetroit Metro Times found that Tlaib never mentioned that Nessel is Jewish.[63][64]
Tlaib, a member of theDemocratic Socialists of America, aligns politically with the left wing of the Democratic Party.[67][4]
Tlaib has said she opposes providing aid to a "Netanyahu Israel" and supported thePalestinian right of return and aone-state solution.[68] In 2018,J Street, a mainstreampro-Israel Jewish organization,[69][70][71] withdrew its endorsement of Tlaib due to her support for a one-state solution. J Street said she had misled it about her views on the issue during her primary campaign.[72][73] Responding to criticism, Tlaib elaborated by saying that she believed atwo-state solution under Benjamin Netanyahu's government was not possible without harming the Israeli people.[74] Tlaib is one of the few members of Congress to openly support theBoycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against the Israeli government. She has defended her support of the boycott on free speech grounds and as a response toIsrael's military occupation of the West Bank andsettlement building, which the international community considersillegal under international law, though Israel disputes this.[75]
In January 2019, Tlaib criticizedanti-BDS legislation proposed by SenatorsMarco Rubio andJim Risch. She argued that boycotting is a right and that Rubio and Risch "forgot what country they represent". Tlaib's comments were criticized by several groups, including theAnti-Defamation League (ADL), which said, "Though the legislation discussed is sponsored by four non-Jewish Senators, any charge of dual loyalty has special sensitivity and resonance for Jews, particularly in an environment of rising anti-Semitism."[76][77] Tlaib responded that her comments were directed at Rubio and Risch, not the Jewish American community.[78] She was one of 17 members of Congress to vote against a July 2019 House resolution condemning the BDS movement, which passed by a margin of 381 votes.[79] Tlaib suggested boycotting HBO hostBill Maher after he denounced the BDS movement.[80]
In March 2020, Tlaib spoke at a gala in Missouri[81] forAmerican Muslims for Palestine, a group that supports an end to the Israeli occupation of theWest Bank, equality forArab Israelis, and a right of return for Palestinian refugees, and says it "stands against all forms of bigotry and racism."[82][83] In December 2020, Tlaib deleted a retweet she had posted a few days earlier, on theInternational Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, containing the phrase "from the river to the sea".[84]
On September 23, 2021, Tlaib called Israel an "apartheid state" on the House floor during a debate over funding for Israel's "Iron Dome" air defense system; RepresentativeTed Deutch responded by accusing Tlaib of antisemitism.[85]
In 2022 and 2023, Tlaib introduced resolutions aimed at recognizing theNakba that stated that "a just and lasting peace cannot be established without addressing the Nakba and remedying its injustices towards the Palestinian people" and endorsed thePalestinian right of return.[86][87] The resolutions resulted in criticism fromSenatorsRosen andKennedy, who said that calling the "establishment of the only Jewish state a 'catastrophe' is deeply offensive" and that "the Capitol grounds should not be a pedestal to legitimize anti-Semitic bigotry".[88] Tlaib responded the criticism by noting that organizations such asAmnesty International andHuman Rights Watch had concluded that Israel has imposed a system ofapartheid on Palestinians.[87]
On July 18, 2023, Tlaib and eight otherprogressiveDemocrats (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez,Cori Bush,Jamaal Bowman,André Carson,Summer Lee,Ilhan Omar,Ayanna Pressley, andDelia Ramirez) voted against acongressionalnon-binding resolution proposed byAugust Pfluger that "the State of Israel is not a racist or apartheid state", that Congress rejects "all forms of antisemitism and xenophobia", and that “the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel".[89]
During the2023 Israel–Hamas war, Tlaib released a statement grieving the loss of both Israeli and Palestinian life, saying the only way to end the cycle of violence was to "dismantle" theapartheid system in place, and calling for the end of unconditional U.S. support for Israel. Her statement was condemned by two representatives and the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.[90] Tlaib repeatedly condemnedHamas's October 2023 attack on Israel.[91] During the war, she has been the member of Congress most vehemently calling for a ceasefire.[56] She has said that her criticism of Israel has always been directed atits government and its leadership under Netanyahu, saying: "It is important to separate people and governments. No government is beyond criticism. The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent, and it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation."[92]
Tlaib criticized the United States' support for Israel'sbombing of the Gaza Strip thatkilled thousands of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and accused President Biden of supporting the allegedgenocide of the Palestinian people.[91] On November 3, 2023, she tweeted an antiwar video, writing, ".@POTUS, the majority of the American people are not with you on this one. #CeasefireNow."[93] The video ended with the words "Joe Biden supported the genocide of the Palestinian people. The American people won't forget. Biden, support a ceasefire now or don't count on us in 2024".[94] The thread ended with the tweet, "From the river to the sea is an aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence, not death, destruction, or hate. My work and advocacy is always centered in justice and dignity for all people no matter faith or ethnicity."[95]
Tlaib has called forsanctions and an arms embargo against Israel after theMarch 2025 Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip, writing, "the Israeli apartheid regime has resumed its genocide, carrying out air strikes all across Gaza and killing hundreds of Palestinians. This comes after a completeblockade of food, electricity, and aid".[96]
Tlaib has criticizedSaudi Arabia'shuman rights violations and theSaudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen.[97][98]
In 2023, Tlaib was among 56 Democrats to vote for H.Con.Res. 21, which directed President Biden to remove U.S. troops fromSyria within 180 days.[99][100]
Tlaib condemned theRussian invasion of Ukraine, calling it an "unjustifiable violation of international law", and has called for sanctions on Russia following the invasion.[101] She has voted multiple times to provide Ukraine with support following the invasion.[102][103]
Tlaib supports domestic reforms, includingMedicare for All and a $18 to $20 hourlyminimum wage.[104][105] On November 5, 2021, she was one of six House Democrats to break with their party and vote against theInfrastructure Investment and Jobs Act because it was decoupled from the social safety net provisions in theBuild Back Better Act.[106][107]
Tlaib supportsabortion rights and has criticized what she called "white men trying to force women to not have the right to seek legal abortions".[108] She was endorsed by the abortion rights organizationNARAL.[109]
Tlaib supports thedescheduling of cannabis and has supported theMORE Act, which would deschedule the substance, expunge cannabis convictions, and implement various social reforms aimed at addressing communities impacted by theWar on Drugs.[110] In doing so, she emphasized the impactcannabis scheduling has had on minority communities, calling thewar on drugs "an effort targeting communities of color through overpolicing, criminalization, andmass incarceration".[111][112]
Tlaib was an early supporter of the movement toabolish the Immigration Customs Enforcement agency.[67] In June 2019 she was one of four Democratic representatives to vote against the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, a $4.5 billion border funding bill that required Customs and Border Protection enact health standards for individuals in custody such as forming standards for individuals for "medical emergencies; nutrition, hygiene, and facilities; and personnel training."[113][114]
Following thekilling of Daunte Wright, Tlaib called American policing "inherently and intentionally racist", saying, "No more policing, incarceration, and militarization. It can't be reformed."[115] In 2023, Tlaib and CongresswomanCori Bush were the only two representatives to vote against a resolution recognizingNational Police Week.[116]
Tlaib supported theefforts to impeach President Trump. In August 2016, she protested a speech Trump gave atCobo Center and was ejected from the venue.[117] On her first day in Congress, January 3, 2019, she published anop-ed withJohn Bonifaz[118] in which she argued that it was not necessary to wait forSpecial CounselRobert Mueller to complete his criminal investigation before proceeding with impeachment.[118]
Later that day, Tlaib spoke at a reception for theMoveOn campaign, recounting a conversation with her son in which she expressed her resolve to "impeach the motherfucker".[119] Trump retorted that her comments were "highly disrespectful to the United States of America".[120][121]
In a radio interview withMehdi Hasan ofThe Intercept, Tlaib reiterated her call for Trump's impeachment.[122]
Tlaib voted for thesecond impeachment of Donald Trump after theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack.[123]
In 1998, at the age of 22, Tlaib married Fayez Tlaib. They have two sons. The couple have since divorced. In 2018, a campaign spokesperson referred to Tlaib as asingle mother.[124]
In September 2018,The New York Times reported that Tlaib walked into her family's mosque to express her gratitude for the opportunity to run for Congress, articulating a belief that "myAllah is She".[125] TheDetroit Free Press reported that, although she recognizes that some in her faith community consider her not "Muslim enough",[1] she believes that Allah understands that she deems her actions "reflective of Islam".[1]
![]() | This sectionneeds expansion with: missing data on 2022 & 2024 House elections. You can help byadding to itadding to it ormaking an edit request.(September 2024) |
Primary election | ||||
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Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Brenda Jones | 32,769 | 37.8 | |
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib | 31,121 | 35.8 | |
Democratic | Bill Wild | 13,174 | 15.2 | |
Democratic | Ian Conyers | 9,749 | 11.2 | |
Democratic | Clyde Darnell Lynch (write-in) | 2 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 86,815 | 100.0 |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib | 27,841 | 31.2 | |
Democratic | Brenda Jones | 26,941 | 30.2 | |
Democratic | Bill Wild | 12,613 | 14.1 | |
Democratic | Coleman Young II | 11,172 | 12.5 | |
Democratic | Ian Conyers | 5,866 | 6.6 | |
Democratic | Shanelle Jackson | 4,853 | 5.4 | |
Democratic | Kimberly Hill Knott (write-in) | 33 | 0.0 | |
Democratic | Royce Kinniebrew (write-in) | 2 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 89,321 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib | 165,355 | 84.2 | |
Working Class | Sam Johnson | 22,186 | 11.3 | |
Green | D. Etta Wilcoxon | 7,980 | 4.1 | |
Independent | Brenda Jones (write-in) | 633 | 0.3 | |
N/A | Other write-ins | 145 | 0.1 | |
Total votes | 196,299 | 100.0 | ||
Democratichold |
Primary election | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib (incumbent) | 71,703 | 66.3 | |
Democratic | Brenda Jones | 36,493 | 33.7 | |
Total votes | 108,196 | 100.0 | ||
General election | ||||
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib (incumbent) | 223,205 | 78.1 | |
Republican | David Dudenhoefer | 53,311 | 18.7 | |
Working Class | Sam Johnson | 5,284 | 1.8 | |
Green | D. Etta Wilcoxon | 2,105 | 0.7 | |
Constitution | Articia Bomer | 1,974 | 0.7 | |
Independent | Donald Eason (write-in) | 6 | 0.0 | |
Total votes | 285,885 | 100.0 | ||
Democratichold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib (incumbent) | 196,643 | 70.8 | |
Republican | Steven Elliott | 72,888 | 26.2 | |
Working Class | Gary Walkowicz | 8,046 | 2.9 | |
Total votes | 277,577 | 100.0 | ||
Democratichold |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Rashida Tlaib (incumbent) | 253,354 | 69.7 | |
Republican | James Hooper | 92,490 | 25.4 | |
Working Class | Gary Walkowicz | 9,401 | 2.6 | |
Green | Brenda K. Sanders | 8,254 | 2.3 | |
Total votes | 363,499 | 100.0 | ||
Democratichold |
"The attendance record is spectacular," said Tlaib, a member of Southwestern's class of 1994.
Tlaib never once mentioned Nessel's religion or Judaism. But Metro Times pointed out in the story that Nessel is Jewish, and that appears to be the spark that led to the false claims.
Nessel's religious background was only mentioned as part of the description from the article's author, who wrote, "Tlaib also criticized Nessel, who is the first Jewish person elected Attorney General of Michigan, for what she believes is a biased approach to the protest." A closer look reveals that Tlaib's statement was not about Nessel being Jewish but about systemic anti-Palestinian bigotry.
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House Representatives fromMichigan's 13th congressional district 2019–2023 | Succeeded by |
Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House Representatives fromMichigan's 12th congressional district 2023–present | Incumbent |
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial) | ||
Preceded by | United States representatives by seniority 237th | Succeeded by |