Aber Kawas Makes History in New York State Senate Race

Aber Kawas has made history by winning a seat in the New York State Senate, marking a significant milestone for Palestinian-American political representation in the United States. The Democratic candidate defeated Republican Han-Khon To in the November 3 general election to secure victory in New York’s 12th Senate District, which covers several neighbourhoods in Queens.

Kawas, a member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), becomes the first hijab-wearing Palestinian-American woman elected to the New York State Legislature, according to reports and election results.

Her victory adds another progressive voice to the state legislature and marks the culmination of more than 15 years of community organising around workers’ rights, immigration reform, economic inequality and police accountability.

The Senate seat became vacant after Democratic Senator Michael Gianaris left office in August 2026. Kawas had previously secured the Democratic nomination by defeating incumbent Assemblymember Steven Raga in the June 23 Democratic primary.

From community organiser to elected lawmaker

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Kawas comes from a working-class Palestinian-American family. Her parents immigrated to the United States during the 1990s, and their experiences played an important role in shaping her political outlook.

One of the most influential events in her life occurred during her high school years, when her father was detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and subsequently deported to Jordan.

The experience had a profound impact on her family and influenced her views on immigration enforcement, family separation and the treatment of immigrant communities in the United States.

Kawas has said that her family’s experience motivated her to organise for working-class families and communities facing economic and social inequalities.

Before entering electoral politics, she spent more than 15 years working on campaigns focused on workers’ rights, immigration reform, minimum-wage increases and police accountability.

Her organising work included participation in the Fight for $15 campaign, which advocated higher minimum wages and improved working conditions for low-paid workers.

Her transition from community organiser to elected representative reflects a political career built around grassroots campaigns and issues affecting working-class residents.

Her involvement in the Palestinian rights movement

Palestinian rights have been another major focus of Kawas’s activism. She has been an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights and participated in campaigns challenging financial and institutional support for Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

One of her prominent initiatives was the Not On Our Dime! campaign. The campaign sought to prevent New York-based nonprofit organisations from using their tax-exempt status to finance groups supporting Israeli settlements.

Proposed legislation connected to the campaign was introduced in the New York State Legislature in 2023 but did not become law.

Kawas also participated in demonstrations opposing visits to New York by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, including protests surrounding his arrival for the United Nations General Assembly.

She was among activists arrested during one such demonstration, reflecting her involvement in direct-action campaigns on Palestinian rights.

Her activism has also extended to challenging surveillance arrangements involving Israeli technology. She opposed a proposed $750,000 surveillance deal between the New York Police Department and Israeli technology company Cognyte, raising concerns about surveillance practices and civil liberties.

Opposition to ICE cooperation and immigration policies

Immigration reform has remained central to Kawas’s political work, shaped in part by her family’s experience with the US immigration system.

She has campaigned against cooperation between local and state authorities and federal immigration enforcement agencies. Her position includes support for legislative efforts to restrict the involvement of New York government agencies in federal civil immigration enforcement.

Kawas’s approach reflects a broader progressive movement seeking stronger protections for immigrant communities, particularly families concerned about detention, deportation and separation.

Her election to the State Senate could provide her with a legislative platform to continue advocating for these issues within New York’s government.

What does Aber Kawas stand for?

Kawas entered the Senate race promising to represent working-class communities and challenge established political structures. Her campaign focused on economic security, immigration protections, housing affordability and public services.

Her major campaign priorities included:

• Workers’ rights: Improving wages, strengthening employment protections and expanding economic opportunities for working-class New Yorkers.
• Immigration reform: Protecting immigrant families and limiting local cooperation with federal deportation efforts.
• Housing affordability: Addressing rising housing costs and the financial pressures facing residents in Queens.
• Healthcare: Expanding access to healthcare and strengthening public services.
• Police accountability: Challenging surveillance practices and policies that disproportionately affect marginalised communities.
• Palestinian rights: Advocating for Palestinian human rights and challenging institutional and financial support for Israeli settlements.

Her campaign also highlighted the importance of protecting social safety-net programmes as working-class households face increasing living costs.

What Kawas’s victory means for Palestinian-American representation

Kawas’s election marks a notable development in the political representation of Palestinian Americans in New York. Her victory brings a candidate with a background in grassroots organising and Palestinian rights activism into the state legislature.

Her personal experiences, particularly her family’s encounter with immigration enforcement, have shaped many of the issues she has pursued throughout her career. Those concerns became central themes in her campaign, alongside economic issues affecting working-class communities.

By defeating Republican Han-Khon To, Kawas secured the vacant 12th Senate District seat and moved from community organising into elected office. Her election also adds a progressive perspective to debates surrounding workers’ rights, immigration, housing, healthcare and police accountability in New York.

As she prepares to take her place in the New York State Senate, attention will turn to how she translates her campaign priorities and years of activism into legislative work.