On Saturday afternoon, the steps of Jersey City’s City Hall hosted the “Rally for Working Families,” where U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota publicly backed mayoral candidate Mussab Ali. Her endorsement, first announced in May, was reinforced in front of a crowd of around 100 people.
Omar warned that what she described as an authoritarian administration under Donald Trump threatened families across the country. She argued that local governments must act as a defense against federal policies targeting immigrants and working people. Jersey City, she said, stands at the forefront of that fight. She praised the city’s immigrant diversity and resilience but stressed that immigrant and working-class families continue to face economic hardship, aggressive immigration enforcement, and efforts to silence dissent.
- Rep. Ilhan Omar endorsed Mussab Ali for Jersey City mayor at a Rally for Working Families outside City Hall, calling the city a front line against Donald Trump.
- Mussab Ali pledged affordable housing, free city-run buses, and protections for immigrants while rejecting corporate PAC and pay-to-play money.
- About 100 people attended the rally, which also featured Toni Ervin and Elizabeth Cooper, and highlighted Ali’s endorsements from Keith Ellison and Ro Khanna.
Mussab Ali’s Policy Platform and Campaign Pledges
Mussab Ali, who moved to the United States from Pakistan at the age of three, tied his campaign vision to the principles of democracy and free speech. He warned that when fear prevents people from speaking, democracy is weakened, and when leaders remain quiet, it suggests power outweighs principle.
Ali outlined several proposals: increasing affordable housing by shifting development toward apartments rather than luxury homes, introducing free city-operated bus service to improve slow public transportation, and protecting immigrant families rather than turning them over to federal immigration authorities.
His campaign, he stressed, rejects corporate PAC contributions and pay-to-play money. He contrasted this with rivals such as former Governor Jim McGreevey, whom he accused of receiving donations from Trump-aligned billionaires. Ali insisted that Jersey City would not be sold to outside interests or used to advance Trump’s agenda.
Endorsements from Progressive Leaders
Omar’s endorsement followed earlier support from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in February and U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna in May. Omar herself recently survived a censure vote in Congress over comments about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. At the rally, she described Ali as a candidate who understands the struggles of working people.
Ali, once the youngest person elected president of the Jersey City Board of Education, pointed to Omar’s record as an example of courage and resilience, qualities he said he would model as mayor.
The rally also addressed national issues. Omar and Ali both framed Trump’s policies as direct threats to immigrants and working people. They cited examples such as recent ICE activity in Jersey City and recalled Trump’s false claim that “thousands” in Jersey City had celebrated during the September 11, 2001, attacks. Ali said that Trump had also endangered Omar by suggesting she should be deported.
