Ibraheem Samirah

Ibraheem S. Samirah (born August 20, 1991) is an American dentist and politician serving as a State Delegate from Virginia. In February 2019, he was elected in a special election to the Virginia House of Delegates for the 86th district. Samirah was re-elected to a full term on November 5, 2019. He is a Democrat. He is the youngest elected legislator in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Ibraheem Samirah
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 86th district
Assumed office
February 20, 2019
Preceded byJennifer Boysko
Personal details
Born (1991-08-20) August 20, 1991
Chicago, Illinois
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceHerndon, Virginia
Alma materAmerican University (BA)
Boston University (DMD)
OccupationDentist

Early life and education

Samirah was born in Chicago, Illinois, as a first generation American with Jordanian-Palestinian parents, on August 20, 1991.[1] Samirah is biracial Afro-Arab. Samirah's parents are children of Palestinian refugees.[2] Growing up in Chicago and its suburbs, he "enjoyed a typical American childhood—watching basketball in the bleachers, riding bikes with my brothers, and then getting around to my homework".[3] His mother was pursuing a special education master's degree while working as a teacher and his father was completing a PhD in economics and public policy, working as an activist, becoming a community leader and registering Muslim voters.[4]

Samirah, born in Chicago, is Palestinian American. After 9/11, his father was booted from the US with no explanation, and the family moved to Jordan.

That all changed for him in middle school when he and his family were forced to reunite in Jordan due to the George W. Bush administration's decision to deny Samirah's father re-entry into the United States.[4] Attorney General, John Ashcroft, deemed Samirah's father a security risk in 2003 when his father was returning home to Chicago after visiting Samirah's sick grandmother, forcing his father to go back to where he came from, Jordan.[5][4] Samirah, watching his 11-year-old self on the evening news the night he found out he couldn't be with his father, remembers looking lost and thinking “I don’t know what the hell just happened.”[4] At the time he recalls "playing for his middle-school basketball team and having his first crush on a classmate" when he was dealing with the newfound situation of being separated from his father.[4]

Eventually, he was exiled from Chicago to Amman where he and his family lived with Samirah's grandparents.[4] Samirah's Arabic was not great, and he spoke with a thick American accent.[4] In an interview with the Washingtonian, Samirah says “It was a very depressing time for at least two years.”[4] After 11 years of forced family separation, Samirah's father was granted readmittance to the United States in 2014 after the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled that Samirah's father had a right to return to the United States.[6] Growing up, Samirah loved playing basketball and dreamed of playing in the NBA.[7] About growing up abroad, Samirah says he "worked hard in school so I could one day return to the country I loved."[7] In an interview with Her Campus, Samirah noted how "It’s hard [being brought up] Palestinian. Your parents tell you to not get involved in something that may harm your life [trajectory], like activism. But it keeps me real with myself, keeps me close to my emotions and my people by seeing them at events. It actually kept me focused on studying, since it could have cost me my education."[7]

Samirah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in government and political science from American University in 2013,[8] where, though Muslim, he was a member of the historically Jewish fraternity Sigma Alpha Mu, attracted by the chapter's progressive values and "respect for diversity."[9] During his time at American University, he founded the first ever college chapter for Jewish Voice for Peace at American University.[10] While a student, Samirah made posts on social media platforms which contained anti-Israel themes; he since apologized for "any pain that may have been caused by them."[11] He earned his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) from the Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine at Boston University in 2017.[12] While he attended dental school, Samirah was a member of the American Dental Association, Black Lives Matter, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace.[13][14]

Virginia House of Delegates

Elections

After Jennifer Boysko was elected to the Senate of Virginia in 2019, Samirah ran in the special election to complete the remainder of her term in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Samirah defeated Republican Gregg G. Nelson and independent Connie H. Hutchinson, receiving 60% of the vote to Nelson's 34% and Hutchinson's 6%, on February 19, 2019.[15] He was sworn in the next day, becoming the second Muslim elected to the Virginia General Assembly after fellow Democrat Sam Rasoul in 2014.[16]

State Delegate Samirah was reelected on November 5, 2019 in the general election for the Virginia House of Delegates. In that election, Samirah ran unopposed.[17]

Policy positions

Samirah is a Democrat, that says he serves in Virginia's House of Delegates "to give back—by helping families stay healthy, with more opportunities to succeed, and more time to spend together."[3] Samirah clarifies his policy positioning by saying he strives to "bring Virginia into a new decade of progress by building an equitable, 21st century economy for the Commonwealth. As a dentist, [he] sees improving public health as the central issue that touches all others. From housing affordability to women’s empowerment, to education and criminal justice, [his] ultimate goal is to create healthier, happier, and more efficient communities. [He] works to build the winning coalitions to do just that, and make Virginia a better place for all by lifting up those at the margins."[18]

Women's rights

Samirah supports a woman's right to choose what they want to do with their body. Samirah supports codifying and expanding abortion rights.[19] Samirah voted to pass the Equal Rights Amendment to achieve gender pay equity for the entire nation, casting a deciding vote to allow it to be ratified into the Constitution of the United States.

Energy and the environment

Samirah supports enacting a Green New Deal at the state level.[19] In 2020, he patroned the "Green New Deal Act" proposal which would ban the approval of any new fossil-fuel-driven power plants or refineries in Virginia.[20] It would mandate that at least 80% of the electricity sold in the state be from solar, wind, or hydropower by 2028.[21] The bill would also require increased energy efficiency in buildings. It was co-patroned by fellow Democrats Jennifer Carroll-Foy, Elizabeth Guzman, Lashrecse Aird, Joshua G. Cole, Patrick Hope, Clinton Jenkins, Kaye Kory, Barbara Favola, Danica Roem and Sam Rasoul.[20]

Gun rights

Samirah supports gun control.[19]

Electoral reform

In the 2019 session, Samirah voted in favor of the proposed amendment to the Virginia constitution to create a permanent bipartisan commission for redistricting.[22] In the 2020 session, Samirah backed a bill introduced by state Senator Louise Lucas to allow for expanded absentee voting and recognize election day as a state holiday.[23] Samirah supports adopting automatic voter registration.[18] Samirah supports entering Virginia into the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would pledge our electoral college votes to whoever wins the popular vote in presidential elections.[18] Samirah supports restoring the right to vote to ex-felons.[18]

Marijuana legalization

Samirah supports legalizing cannabis for recreational use.[19]

Health care

Samirah favors universal health care at the state level.[19]

Labor relations

Samirah supports expanding union and worker rights such as removing Virginia's right-to-work law.[19]

Zoning reform

He supports using state legislation to preempt local zoning ordinances to allow for more multi-family residential, high-density developments on properties currently zoned for single-family detached homes only.[24][25] Samirah's proposed law would allow property owners to convert their properties from single-family units to two-family duplexes, townhouses, or cottages in both established and new neighborhoods without going through the existing local processes for rezoning a residential property.[26][27]

Protesting

On July 30, 2019, Samirah was escorted out of a speech by Trump in Jamestown, Virginia after disrupting the event by standing up and waving card signs consisting of the words "Deport Hate," "Reunite My Family," and "Go Back to Your Corrupted Home."[28] He opposes civility in defense of racism or bigotry, stating, "To the critics of incivility... I say it's time to think critically about whom such decorum has traditionally served: the white, wealthy, and comfortable."[29]

Electoral history
DateElectionCandidatePartyVotes%
Virginia House of Delegates, 86th district
February 19, 2019[15] Special Ibraheem S. Samirah Democratic 3,740 59.5
Gregg G. Nelson Republican 2,162 34.4
Connie H. Hutchinson Independent 370 5.9
Write Ins 13 0.2
November 5, 2019[30] General Ibraheem S. Samirah Democratic 14,730 88.9
Write Ins 1,836 11.1

Personal life

Samirah lives in Herndon, Virginia.[16]

References
  1. Cline, Nathaniel (February 19, 2019). "Democrat Ibraheem Samirah wins House of Delegates 86th District special election | News". loudountimes.com. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  2. "Exiled as a 'Security' Threat, Former Orland Man May Soon Return". Orland Park, IL Patch. September 9, 2011. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  3. "Meet Ibraheem". Samirah 4 Delegate. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  4. me, “I can’t make a post about health care without someone telling; home.'”, ‘you’re not American Go back (October 27, 2019). "Ibraheem Samirah Is Nowhere Near Done Messing With the Way Virginia Does Politics". Washingtonian. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  5. Tribune, Allison Hantschel, Special to the. "Muslim activist returns to suburbs after decade in exile". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  6. Moran, James (March 12, 2010). "United States Court of Appeals: Samirah V. Ahscroft" (PDF). Govinfo.Gov. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  7. "Being a Palestinian-American". Her Campus. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  8. "Bio: Ibraheem Samirah". Vote Smart. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  9. Cohen, Zach C. (November 16, 2011). "Sammy's Palestinian brother | Today in New Voices". New Voices: The National Jewish Student Magazine. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  10. "A movement grows at American University". Mondoweiss. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  11. Olivo, Antonio (February 19, 2019). "Va. Democrat who was attacked for remarks against Israel wins election for House seat". Washington Post. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  12. "Dr. Ibraheem Samirah Joins District Smiles As Senior Dentist In Tenleytown DC". PressCable. MarketersMEDIA. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  13. Sebastian, Dave (April 19, 2016). "Palestinian student advocates protest festival celebrating Israel Independence Day". The Daily Free Press. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  14. Ahmed, Shuaib. "Ibraheem Samirah". va.onair.cc. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  15. "2019 February 19 Special: Official Results". Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
  16. Douglas, Catherine (February 20, 2019). "Democrat Ibraheem Samirah Wins 86th District Seat". Reston Now. Retrieved February 20, 2019.
  17. "Ibraheem Samirah". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  18. "Priorities". Samirah 4 Delegate. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  19. Leahy, Norman (November 14, 2019). "Bipartisan excess threatens to engulf Virginia politics". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  20. "LIS > Bill Tracking > Patrons > 2020 session". lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  21. "LIS > Bill Tracking > HB77 > 2020 session". lis.virginia.gov. Retrieved March 5, 2020.
  22. "HJ 615 Constitutional amendment; Virginia Redistricting Commission (first reference)". Lis.Virginia.Gov. February 23, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2020.
  23. Armstrong, Zach (January 21, 2020). "Bills to make voting easier advance in Virginia legislature". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  24. Capps, Kriston (December 20, 2019). "With New Democratic Majority, Virginia Sees a Push for Denser Housing". CityLab. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  25. Sisson, Patrick (December 26, 2019). "Virginia latest place to make single family zoning ban a political fight". Curbed. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  26. Britschgi, Christian (December 31, 2019). "Virginia Bill Would End Single-Family-Only Zoning in the Old Dominion". Reason. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  27. Yglesias, Matthew (December 27, 2019). "The telling conservative backlash to a Virginia zoning reform proposal, explained". Vox. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  28. Watson, Kathryn (September 30, 2019). "Democratic Virginia state delegate interrupts Trump's speech". CBS. Retrieved August 3, 2019.
  29. Samirah, Ibraheem (August 2, 2019). "Why I Disrupted Trump's Speech at Jamestown". The Atlantic. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  30. "2019 November General: Official Results". Virginia Department of Elections. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
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