A 17-year-old Naperville girl is on the guest list for President Donald Trump's first joint-session address to Congress on Tuesday.
Samia Abdul-Qadir was invited by U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, after the Naperville North High School junior participated in Foster's recent community discussion at the Islamic Center of Naperville on the local effects of the president's attempts to ban travel from several Muslim-majority countries.
Abdul-Qadir told the 150 people in attendance about how a fencing teammate once told her she "looked like a terrorist" because she was wearing a hijab. "It pierced my heart," she said.
Abdul-Qadir, who placed third in foil fencing in the Midwest regionals and advanced to the national competition last fall, will attend as Foster's guest. Each member of Congress is allowed to invite someone to the president's annual address, which is called the State of the Union after the president completes his first year in office.
"I've always been taught that America's strength comes from the spirit of inclusion and diversity," Abdul-Qadir said in a statement from Foster's office. "I don't think it makes America any safer to single out a group of people because of their religious beliefs. It goes against this country's core values."
Foster said America thrives on the innovation, culture and diversity that immigrants bring, and no one should have to live in fear that these opportunities will be taken from them.
"History has not looked kindly on us when we've prevented people fleeing violence from seeking refuge in this country," he said in a statement. "Samia's courage and conviction have stood out as a bright spot amidst an atmosphere of fear and hate."
Foster meets at Islamic Center to discuss Trump travel ban Steve MetschAadil Farid believes something good has come from President Donald Trump's now-stalled ban on travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
"Out of the ugliness we've seen, something beautiful has come up," Farid, former president of the Islamic Center of Naperville, told...
Aadil Farid believes something good has come from President Donald Trump's now-stalled ban on travel to the United States from seven predominantly Muslim countries.
"Out of the ugliness we've seen, something beautiful has come up," Farid, former president of the Islamic Center of Naperville, told...
(Steve Metsch)Foster's 11th Congressional District includes parts of Naperville and Aurora. It stretches east to Burr Ridge and south to Joliet.
Republican U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, whose 14th District stretches from Plano to the Wisconsin border, and Democratic U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, whose 8th District includes portions of Elgin, South Elgin and Carpentersville and communities east to Elk Grove Village, did not respond to requests for information on whom they're taking to the event.
Representatives from Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam's 6th District offices also did not return requests for information about whom the congressman planned to invite as his guest.
Roskam has been out of the country this week as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation touring emerging democracies near Russia's borders to assure the countries that the United States opposes Russian aggression.
Residents crowd town hall to discuss health care, press freedom, immigration Gary GibulaHundreds of people gathered this week to voice their opinions and learn about national issues for what organizers called a town meeting with residents of several west suburban congressional districts.
A standing-room-only crowd of 200 gathered Wednesday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn...
Hundreds of people gathered this week to voice their opinions and learn about national issues for what organizers called a town meeting with residents of several west suburban congressional districts.
A standing-room-only crowd of 200 gathered Wednesday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Glen Ellyn...
(Gary Gibula)His district includes portions of communities from Naperville through Carpentersville.
Beacon-News reporter Hannah Leone and Courier-News reporter Gloria Casas contributed.
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