Ilhan Omar has made history by becoming the first Somali-American to be sworn in as a lawmaker in the US.She was sworn in on Tuesday into the Minnesota House of Representatives: She became the first female Muslim and Somali-American legislator.
Omar, who serves House District 60B in Minnesota,held the Quran during her swearing-in ceremony, becoming the second person to do so after Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison, the first Muslim U.S. congressman and contender for DNC chairmanship.
Omar, a Somali-born former refugee, was elected to serve in Minnesota’s state house of representatives in tightly contested elections last year.
Born in Somalia in 1982, Omar and her family emigrated to the United States in 1995 after the start of civil war in Somali.
Ms Omar has promised to be a “voice for the marginalised”
The election of Ms Omar, who is Muslim, came just days after US President-elect Donald Trump accused Somali immigrants in Minnesota of “spreading their extremist views”.
US president-elect Donald Trump during his 2016 election campaign, attacked the Somali community in Minnesota, US, saying: “Some of them (Somalians) are joining Isis and spreading their extremist views”.
Many people took to Twitter to congratulate Omar.See screenshots below
