Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari, a U.S. Representative who won her seat in 2024 by defeating Jeff Zink with 70.9% of the vote, recently posted a series of statements on social media addressing issues ranging from civil rights to private prison reform.
On February 17, 2026, Ansari paid tribute to Jesse Jackson’s contributions during Black History Month. She wrote, “In the fight for racial justice and civil rights in America, Jesse Jackson led without fear and with the utmost hope and courage. This Black History Month, Jackson’s legacy serves as an inspiration to all of us. His work and his voice will be deeply missed.”
Later that day, Ansari directed a brief message toward Speaker Johnson via Twitter: “.@SpeakerJohnson “ (February 17, 2026).
In another post on February 17, 2026, she criticized CoreCivic’s role in the U.S. detention system: “CoreCivic is one of two major private prison companies making record profits off of Trump’s racist mass deportation agenda. They were also major contributors to his campaign. It’s all corruption.
We need to end for-profit detention centers in the United States of America.”
Jesse Jackson has long been recognized as a leader in civil rights advocacy in the United States. The issue of private prisons and their involvement in immigration enforcement has been widely debated among policymakers and activists.
Ansari assumed office after winning her congressional race against Jeff Zink by a significant margin—143 votes (70.9%) to Zink’s 53 votes (26.6%)—in the general election held in 2024.
