Tlaib, Rashida, 1976-

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Rashida Harbi Tlaib (born July 24, 1976) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served as the U.S. Representative for Michigan's 13th congressional district since 2019.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, Tlaib graduated from Southwestern High School in Detroit before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Wayne State University and a Juris Doctor from Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Tlaib began her political career in 2004 when she interned with State Representative Steve Tobocman. When Tobocman became Majority Floor Leader in 2007, he hired Tlaib to his staff. After Tobocman was forced to leave his seat due to term limits, he encouraged Tlaib to run for it; Tlaib won the seat and served in the Michigan House of Representativces until being term limited in 2014. After leaving the state legislature, Tlaib worked at Sugar Law Center, a Detroit nonprofit that provides free legal representation for workers.

In 2018, Tlaib won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives seat from Michigan's 13th congressional district. She ran unopposed in the general election and became the first woman of Palestinian descent in Congress, the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan legislature, and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, along with Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Tlaib is a member of The Squad, an informal group of six U.S. Representatives on the left wing of the Democratic Party.

Tlaib is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). She and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) are the first female DSA members to serve in Congress. Tlaib has argued in favor of abolishing the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the police. She was a vocal critic of the Trump administration and advocated Trump's impeachment. On foreign affairs, she has sharply criticized the Israeli government, called for an end to U.S. aid to Israel, supports a one-state solution, and expressed support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Lansing MI US
Detroit MI US
Subject
Occupation
Lawyers
Legislative assistants
Representatives, U.S. Congress
State Representative
Activity

Person

Birth 1976-07-24

Female

Americans

English

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