Who are the Muslim members of the 2025 U.S. Congress and what states/districts do they represent?
Executive summary
As of the start of the 119th Congress (Jan. 3, 2025), reporting indicates four Muslim members of the U.S. House of Representatives: André Carson (D‑IN), Ilhan Omar (D‑MN), Rashida Tlaib (D‑MI) and Lateefah Simon (D‑CA) — Simon’s election made her the first Muslim member from California and raised the total to four [1] [2] [3]. Pew’s religious-composition analysis for the 119th Congress also records one Muslim listed among freshmen, Lateefah Simon, confirming four Muslims in the chamber for 2025 [4].
1. Who they are and the districts they represent — a quick roll call
André Carson represents Indiana’s 7th Congressional District and was reelected in 2024, continuing his tenure in the House [3] [5]. Ilhan Omar represents Minnesota’s 5th District, centered on Minneapolis, and won reelection in 2024 [3] [6]. Rashida Tlaib represents Michigan’s 13th District and was reelected in 2024 [3]. Lateefah Simon won California’s 12th District seat in the 2024 election and took office with the 119th Congress, becoming the first Muslim elected from California to Congress [1] [2].
2. How we know — the sourcing and what the numbers mean
Multiple news outlets and analyses converge on the same count. International outlets and U.S.-based reporting called Simon’s victory and described it as raising the number of Muslim members to four in January 2025 [1] [2]. The Pew Research Center’s Faith on the Hill report for the 119th Congress lists Lateefah Simon as the Muslim freshman and counts one Muslim newcomer, consistent with four total Muslim House members in 2025 [4]. Independent aggregators such as Wikipedia also report that, by 2025, four Muslims served in Congress, though Wikipedia is an aggregate source and should be read alongside primary reporting [7].
3. What changed in 2024–25: Simon’s win and representation growth
Lateefah Simon’s 2024 victory is the pivotal change that brought the total number of Muslim members to four. Coverage emphasizes that Simon’s election marked the first Muslim representative from California and was framed by civil‑rights and Muslim‑advocacy groups as a milestone for Muslim political representation [2] [8]. Reports note that before Simon, three Muslim members—Carson, Omar and Tlaib—were the existing Muslim contingent in the House [3] [6].
4. Limits and caveats in the record
Available sources do not list any Muslim U.S. senators as of 2025; reporting and long-form data note that all Muslim members of Congress have been in the House [7] [5]. Sources differ slightly in style and emphasis — advocacy groups highlight the symbolic milestone of increased Muslim representation [8] [2], while Pew frames Simon’s arrival within broader statistics about religious composition in the 119th Congress [4]. Wikipedia provides an aggregated list but should be corroborated with contemporary news and institutional reports [7].
5. Political and journalistic context — why the count matters
News outlets and Muslim‑advocacy organizations presented Simon’s victory as a historic moment of inclusion, signaling both demographic and political shifts that put Muslim voices in new state delegations like California’s [8] [2]. International coverage framed the reelection of Carson, Omar and Tlaib as reinforcement of an established Muslim presence in the House and emphasized their roles in debates over foreign policy and civil rights [3] [6].
6. Competing perspectives and what’s left unreported
Advocacy reporting highlights symbolic gains and community celebration [8] [2]. Fact‑centric analyses like Pew’s present Simon chiefly as a data point among broader trends in congressional religious affiliation [4]. Available sources do not mention whether any other members privately identify as Muslim or whether there are additional officeholders with Muslim family backgrounds whose public religious identification differs from reporting [7] [4].
7. Bottom line for readers seeking verification
Contemporary reporting and the Pew analysis consistently identify four Muslim members of the 119th U.S. House of Representatives in 2025: André Carson (IN‑7), Ilhan Omar (MN‑5), Rashida Tlaib (MI‑13) and Lateefah Simon (CA‑12), with Simon’s election in 2024 marking the increase to four [3] [1] [2] [4]. For any subsequent changes (special elections, resignations, or new self-identifications), consult official House records or follow-up reporting; available sources here cover the start of the 119th Congress and the 2024 election aftermath [4] [1].