Ilhan Omar renews call for reparations in Juneteenth tweet

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Saturday renewed the call for reparations as the country recognized Juneteenth as a federal holiday for the first time.

"Proud #Juneteenth is now a federal holiday," Omar wrote. "As we reflect on the significance of what this day symbolizes, let’s keep fighting to address the lasting consequences of slavery. Next step: reparations." Omar is a member of "the Squad" —  a group of progressive, female lawmakers including Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, who previously called for reparations after George Floyd's May 2020 murder. While the idea of paying reparations to the descendants of Black slaves in the U.S. or people wronged by the criminal justice system is not new, federal and local lawmakers worked to introduce new legislation focused on reparations in the aftermath of Floyd's death as the country faced a cultural reckoning.