Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who has represented Washington’s 7th district in the U.S. Congress since 2017, used her social media platform on February 21, 2026, to criticize government spending priorities and raise concerns about defense funding and immigration detention practices.
In a post published at 19:44 UTC, Jayapal stated: “This is ridiculous. Or we could build 3 million new homes, lower the Medicare age, or add dental, vision, and hearing coverage. Not another cent for private defense contractors and forever wars.”
Later that day at 20:34 UTC, she addressed conditions in federal immigration custody: “It’s outrageous that ICE and CBP have allowed people to die in their custody and are claiming they ‘don’t have any money for food’ at detention facilities. Meanwhile, Republicans gave these private for-profit facilities BILLIONS in their Big Bad Betrayal Bill.”
At 23:06 UTC on the same day, Jayapal called for congressional action regarding military engagement: “Congress needs to vote on a War Powers resolution. The American people do not want another unauthorized, illegal war — and Trump cannot go to war without Congress’s authorization.”
Jayapal has served as a member of Congress since succeeding Jim McDermott in 2017 after previously serving in the Washington State Senate from 2014 to 2016. She was born in Chennai (formerly Madras State) in 1965 and currently resides in Seattle. Jayapal holds degrees from Georgetown University (BA, 1986) and Northwestern University (1990).
