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Dear Friend,
Save The Date: In-person Town Hall Meeting on Monday 2/26
I am looking forward to the upcoming in-person town hall meeting on Monday, February 26th, in South Minneapolis. We will follow up with the location and time. I hope to see you there!
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Office Recognized for Nation-Leading Constituent Services
I’m proud of the work my office does day in and day out for our constituents navigating complex hurdles. In a recent article, HuffPost highlighted the vital role Nicky, our Director of Constituent Services, plays in helping constituents navigate our broken immigration system.
This behind-the-scenes work is so crucial because even routine immigration cases face years of backlogs. Local Immigration Attorney Nico Ratkowski stated, “I’ve worked with just about every congressional office in my region." Some offices never even respond. However, my team is so effective that Nico occasionally urges clients to move to MN-05.
Congressional privilege gives unique access. Nicky is one of a select few leveraging that advantage as an essential lifeline when people have nowhere left to turn.
I want to remind my constituents that my office is here to help with any federal-related issues you may face. In addition to immigration support, we may be able to provide assistance with social security and veteran affairs problems, passports and tax return issues.Please reach out and we will do everything we can to assist you.
Read the full article.
Ilhan on the HiJOB: Tamales y Bicicletas
Last month, I visited Tamales y Bicicletas in South Minneapolis, where I toured their urban farm and winter greenhouse. I learned how they bring the community together to encourage green farming and environmental justice.
The founder José Luis Villaseñor Rangel, strengthens the Latino and immigrant communities through encouraging homegrown and home cooked meals, calling back to indigenous cultural practices.
Supporting nutrition and food access in our communities continues to be a top priority of mine in Congress. I'm committed to advancing policies that promote urban agriculture initiatives that increase access to fresh, locally grown produce boost health outcomes, provide economic opportunities, and bring communities closer together.
Visiting Woodcrest Spanish Immersion Elementary School
I had the pleasure of visiting Woodcrest Spanish Immersion Elementary School in Fridley. I met with the kindergarten and second grade classes to talk about my job as a Congresswoman and my journey to public service.
It was inspiring to see these young students in the Spanish immersion program that equips them with valuable language abilities at a young age. The future is bright with students like these.
Discussing New Immigrant Arrivals with Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis
It was a pleasure to meet with staff from Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis to address the surge of new arrivals from the Southern Border. The influx of immigrants arriving in Minneapolis in need of help has risen dramatically in recent months, resulting in overcrowding in shelters across the 5th District. As teams from Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis are working to meet the needs of those newly arriving, hundreds of migrants are being faced with not only limited capacity in our District’s shelters, but no path to self-sustainability without work permits. Hearing from those who are on the ground working with those coming to Minneapolis for help is what keeps me informed and helps me continue to advocate for humane immigration policy.
Food Shelf Visit at Division of Indian Work
I recently had the privilege of visiting Horizons Unlimited, the only culturally-sensitive food shelf serving the urban American Indian population in Minneapolis. Horizons Unlimited has provided critical hunger relief to families and seniors by giving them access to fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and other foods.
We need to increase investments in nutrition programs and food shelves. That's why I've led legislation to strengthen SNAP, WIC, school meals, and other federal initiatives to combat hunger. Hunger relief should be accessible to all who need it. I will continue working to ensure no one in our community goes hungry.
Fighting for the Fifth - Constituent Testimonial
"Representative Omar helped my wife and I through multiple steps in our marriage-based permanent residence petition process. Her team has been extremely responsive and they have been great advocates on our behalf. I was facing the possibility of losing my job due to delays in approval of my work permit. Rep. Omar and her staff were able to help us expedite this process, so that we would not have to face a significant financial burden. We are grateful to be Representative Omar's constituents and I am excited to have a more secure status here in the US."
-Nathalia from MN-05
I'm always happy to help my constituents navigate federal issues and access resources. My staff and I are here for you.
In Service,
Ilhan Omar
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