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Pramila Jayapal recalls US citizenship journey in July 4 tribute
The congresswoman marked Independence Day with a post about citizenship and belonging.
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Ankita Baidya - Sun, 05, Jul 2026
- 04:07 EDT
- 38
Rep. Pramila Jayapal marked U.S. Independence Day by reflecting on her journey from India to Congress. / X/ @RepJayapal
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the first Indian American woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, marked U.S. Independence Day by reflecting on her journey from India to Congress in a post on X.
"I came to this country from India at 16 with nothing in my pockets. Now, I am proud to be a U.S. citizen and Member of Congress," Jayapal wrote on July 4.
Also read: Jayapal moves to restore federal benefits for immigrants
She added that Independence Day is an opportunity to celebrate America as "a land of immigrants."
Jayapal, a Democrat representing Washington's 7th Congressional District since 2017, was born in Chennai in 1965. She grew up in India, Indonesia and Singapore before moving to the United States alone at age 16, according to her congressional biography.
In a 2017 essay published in The New York Times, Jayapal wrote that she spent more than a decade navigating student and work visas before obtaining a green card through marriage. She said she decided to become a U.S. citizen after a medical emergency involving her prematurely born son raised concerns about her permanent resident status.
I came to this country from India at 16 with nothing in my pockets. Now, I am proud to be a U.S. citizen and Member of Congress.
— Rep. Pramila Jayapal (@RepJayapal) July 4, 2026
This 4th of July, we celebrate America – a country that has always been and will always be a land of immigrants.https://t.co/ZF0tdK9F23 pic.twitter.com/yPkql0ZK5p
Recalling her naturalization ceremony in Seattle in 2000, Jayapal wrote that she took the oath of citizenship while reflecting on "renouncing any allegiance to my birth country of India where I had been a citizen for 35 years."
Before her election to Congress in 2016, Jayapal became the first South Asian elected to the Washington State Legislature. She later became the first Asian American to represent Washington state in Congress.
Before entering politics, Jayapal founded and led OneAmerica, an immigrant advocacy organization in Washington state, after working in global health and development.
Jayapal, who represents most of Seattle and surrounding communities, is seeking reelection in 2026. Washington state's primary election is scheduled for August, followed by the general election in November.
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