Rashida Tlaib

Rashida Tlaib
Born	Rashida Harbi 24 7, 1976
Birthplace	Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Lawyer, politician
Known for	First Palestinian American woman elected to the U.S. Congress; member of "The Squad"
Education	Wayne State University (BA) Thomas M. Cooley Law School (JD)
Children	2
Website	[[tlaib.house.gov tlaib.house.gov] Official site]

Rashida Harbi Tlaib (born July 24, 1976) is an American lawyer and politician who has served as a U.S. representative from Michigan since January 2019. Born in Detroit to working-class Palestinian immigrant parents, the eldest of 14 children, Tlaib rose from modest beginnings in southwest Detroit to become the first Palestinian American woman to serve in the United States Congress. Along with Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, she was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress in November 2018. A member of the Democratic Party and an affiliate of the Democratic Socialists of America, Tlaib represents Michigan's 12th congressional district, having previously represented the state's 13th district from 2019 to 2023. Before entering federal office, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2009 to 2014, where she was also the first Muslim woman to serve in a state legislature. A member of the progressive coalition informally known as "The Squad," Tlaib has been a vocal advocate for progressive economic policies, Palestinian rights, and government accountability. She has drawn both praise and criticism for her outspoken positions on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, immigration reform, and executive power.

Early Life

Rashida Harbi was born on July 24, 1976, in Detroit, Michigan, to Palestinian immigrant parents. Her family was working-class, and she grew up in southwest Detroit, a diverse neighborhood with a significant Arab American population. Tlaib is the eldest of 14 children, a fact she has frequently cited in discussing the values of hard work and familial obligation that shaped her upbringing.

Her parents immigrated to the United States from the Palestinian territories, and Tlaib has spoken publicly about her Palestinian heritage and its influence on her worldview and political perspectives. Growing up in a large family in an economically challenged area of Detroit, she experienced firsthand the struggles of working-class communities, including issues related to environmental quality, economic opportunity, and access to public services.

Tlaib attended Southwestern High School in Detroit, graduating in 1994. Her experiences growing up in Detroit—a city grappling with deindustrialization, population loss, and environmental hazards—would later inform her legislative priorities, particularly around environmental justice, labor rights, and economic equity.

Education

After graduating from Southwestern High School, Tlaib enrolled at Wayne State University, a public research university in Detroit. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1998. Her undergraduate education provided a foundation in government and public policy that would shape her subsequent career path.

Tlaib later pursued a legal education at the Thomas M. Cooley Law School (now Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School), where she earned a Juris Doctor degree in 2004. She was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 2007. Her legal training complemented her political science background and equipped her for both legislative and advocacy work.

Career

Michigan House of Representatives

Tlaib's political career began in 2004 when she interned with Michigan State Representative Steve Tobocman. When Tobocman became majority floor leader in 2007, he hired Tlaib to his staff. Tobocman subsequently encouraged Tlaib to run for his seat when he was term-limited out of office.

Tlaib ran for the seat in 2008 and won, becoming the first Muslim woman to serve in the Michigan state legislature. She represented the 12th district in the Michigan House from 2009 to 2012, and after redistricting, the 6th district from 2013 to 2014. Her successor in the Michigan House was Stephanie Chang.

During her time in the Michigan legislature, Tlaib focused on issues affecting her constituents in southwest Detroit, including environmental protection, public health, and workers' rights. She gained attention for her advocacy on behalf of working-class communities and her willingness to confront corporate interests that she viewed as harmful to her district.

In August 2016, Tlaib was among several activists who disrupted a speech by then-candidate Donald Trump in Detroit, an incident that drew media attention and underscored her confrontational approach to political protest.

2018 Congressional Campaign

After leaving the Michigan House due to term limits in 2014, Tlaib continued her community organizing and legal advocacy work. In February 2018, she announced her candidacy for the United States House of Representatives seat in Michigan's 13th congressional district, which was being vacated by longtime Representative John Conyers following his resignation in December 2017.

The race attracted a crowded field of Democratic primary candidates. Fundraising reports tracked the competitive nature of the Michigan congressional races during this cycle. Tlaib won the Democratic primary election, which in the heavily Democratic district was tantamount to winning the general election.

In the general election in November 2018, Tlaib ran unopposed and won the seat decisively, becoming the first Palestinian American woman elected to the United States Congress. Along with Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, she was one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress. She and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the first female members of the Democratic Socialists of America to serve in Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives

First Term (2019–2021)

Tlaib was sworn in on January 3, 2019, succeeding Brenda Jones, who had won a special election to serve the remainder of Conyers's term. From her first day in office, Tlaib established herself as one of the most outspoken progressive voices in the new Congress. On the evening of her swearing-in, she drew national attention when she told a crowd of supporters that Democrats were going to "impeach the motherf***er," referring to President Donald Trump. The remark generated significant media coverage and debate about political decorum, while also signaling Tlaib's uncompromising rhetorical style.

As a member of Congress, Tlaib became part of "The Squad," an informal group of progressive House Democrats that also included Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley. The group became one of the most recognized political factions in Congress, drawing both support from progressive activists and criticism from Republicans and some moderate Democrats.

During her first term, Tlaib voted in favor of impeaching President Trump in December 2019, following the House investigation into Trump's dealings with Ukraine. She had been among the earliest members of Congress to call for impeachment proceedings.

Tlaib advocated for the abolition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), arguing that the agency engaged in inhumane treatment of immigrants and asylum seekers. She also focused on environmental justice issues, drawing on her experience representing communities in Detroit affected by industrial pollution.

Second Term (2021–2023)

Tlaib won re-election in 2020 and continued to serve Michigan's 13th congressional district. During her second term, she voted in favor of impeaching President Trump a second time in January 2021, following the January 6 Capitol attack.

She continued to push progressive legislation on economic issues, healthcare, and environmental regulation. Her positions on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict remained a consistent focal point of both her advocacy and the controversy surrounding her tenure.

Third Term and Redistricting (2023–present)

Following the 2020 census and subsequent redistricting in Michigan, Tlaib began representing the newly drawn 12th congressional district in January 2023. She won the Democratic primary and general election in the new district in 2022.

In her current term, Tlaib has continued to focus on progressive economic policy and government accountability. In February 2026, she introduced legislation aimed at expanding the Head Start program to reach more than 11 million young children from low-income families across the country.

Also in February 2026, Tlaib escalated an investigation into lobbying efforts by Ambassador Bridge owner Matthew Moroun, working alongside Representative Robert Garcia, the ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, to scrutinize Moroun's efforts to influence policy regarding the construction of a new U.S.–Canada bridge crossing.

In January 2026, Tlaib introduced a resolution aimed at defending the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Israeli–Palestinian Conflict and 2023 Censure

Tlaib has been one of the most outspoken members of Congress on the subject of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. She has described Israel as an "apartheid state" and called for an end to U.S. aid to Israel. She supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has publicly advocated for a one-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.

These positions have generated significant controversy. In January 2019, following remarks she made regarding Israel and its supporters, Tlaib faced accusations of antisemitism from several U.S. Jewish organizations. Tlaib denied the accusations and stated that her criticism was directed at the policies of the Israeli government, not at Jewish people.

Following the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel by Hamas, Tlaib's public statements drew further scrutiny. On November 7, 2023, the United States House of Representatives voted to censure Tlaib in response to her statements and social media posts related to the conflict. The censure resolution passed with support from Republicans and a small number of Democrats. Tlaib was the second sitting member of the 118th Congress to be censured.

Tlaib continued her advocacy on the issue into 2025 and 2026. In November 2025, she introduced House Resolution 876, a resolution seeking to formally recognize what she described as the "genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza," alongside 20 other members of Congress. In February 2026, she condemned the killing of a Palestinian-American citizen in the West Bank by Israeli forces, stating that "killings like this will keep happening until we stop funding genocide and apartheid."

In January 2026, she also publicly criticized the University of Michigan for disciplinary actions taken against pro-Palestine student activists on campus.

Personal Life

Tlaib was born Rashida Harbi and was raised in Detroit, Michigan. She was previously married to Fayez Tlaib; the couple divorced. She has two children.

Tlaib's Palestinian heritage has been a defining aspect of her public identity. She has spoken frequently about her family's experiences as immigrants and the connections she maintains to the Palestinian territories. Her mother is from the village of Beit Ur al-Fauqa in the occupied West Bank.

As a Muslim American, Tlaib has been open about her faith and its role in her personal and professional life. She took her oath of office using a personal copy of the Quran.

Tlaib continues to reside in Detroit, Michigan, where she maintains close ties to the community in which she was raised.

Recognition

Tlaib's election to Congress in 2018 was recognized as a historic milestone. She became the first Palestinian American woman and, along with Ilhan Omar, one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the United States Congress. Her initial election to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2008 had similarly been noted as historic, as she became the first Muslim woman to serve in any state legislature in the United States.

Her membership in "The Squad" brought her significant national and international media attention, making her one of the most recognizable members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Coverage of Tlaib has appeared in major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsweek, Haaretz, and numerous other publications.

Tlaib's censure by the House of Representatives in November 2023 was itself a notable event, drawing extensive media coverage and public debate about the boundaries of political speech, criticism of Israel, and the role of Congress in policing the statements of its members.

Her legislative work on behalf of low-income families, environmental justice, and government transparency has been recognized by progressive organizations and advocacy groups.

Legacy

Tlaib's career has been marked by a series of firsts: first Muslim woman in the Michigan legislature, first Palestinian American woman in Congress, and one of the first two Muslim women to serve in the federal legislature. These milestones have made her a significant figure in the broader story of increasing diversity in American political representation.

Her outspoken advocacy on Palestinian rights has placed her at the center of one of the most contentious debates in American politics. Her willingness to use strong language in criticizing both Israeli government policies and U.S. foreign policy toward Israel has made her a polarizing figure—celebrated by supporters of Palestinian rights and criticized by those who view her rhetoric as harmful or one-sided.

As a member of "The Squad," Tlaib has played a role in shifting the internal dynamics of the Democratic Party, pushing the party's leadership to engage more directly with progressive policy demands on issues ranging from healthcare and the environment to immigration and foreign policy. Her presence in Congress, alongside other members of the progressive wing, has contributed to ongoing debates about the direction of the Democratic Party.

Tlaib's focus on economic justice, environmental protection, and the rights of working-class and immigrant communities has been consistent throughout her career in both state and federal office. Her legislative work—from her early years in the Michigan House to her current efforts to expand programs like Head Start—reflects a political identity rooted in the working-class Detroit community from which she emerged.