Two years after Democrats withdrew two Republicans from their committee assignments, the US House of Representatives Republicans have removed Democrat Ilhan Omar from a prominent committee due to remarks that have been roundly criticised as antisemitic.
"I am a Muslim, I'm an immigrant and, interestingly, I'm from Africa," the 40-year-old Minnesota progressive said in a defiant floor speech ahead of her removal from the Foreign Affairs Committee.
"Is anyone surprised that I'm being targeted? Is anyone surprised that I am somehow deemed unworthy to speak about American foreign policy?"
Republicans cited Omar's remarks from 2019 for their 218–211 vote along party lines to remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee. She later apologised for her views. A Republican cast a "present" vote.
Ilhan Omar is one of the few Muslim women in the House and the only member of Congress who was born in Africa. She fled Somalia and came to the United States as a refugee.
She was in line to be the top Democrat on the foreign affairs panel's Africa subcommittee.
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