Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin confirmed that multiple warrants were executed on the same day federal agents raided the Washington D.C. home of Rep. Ilhan Omar.
Mullin stated on The Charlie Kirk Show that the investigation into the Minnesota Democrat is ongoing and that a judge has signed off on presenting the case to a grand jury. He asserted that the operation was not politically motivated and was instead focused on enforcing national laws. "We wouldn't move forward, and President Trump didn't want to move forward either, unless we knew that it couldn't be politically driven," Mullin said. "This was about enforcing once again our nation's laws, and it's a strong case."
The raid, which occurred on a Monday, is part of a probe into immigration papers filled out on Omar's behalf by her father when she was a child. Mullin indicated that the investigation extends beyond allegations concerning her 2009 marriage, for which she has faced claims of marrying her brother to facilitate his entry into the U.S. Omar has denied these allegations.
Former President Barack Obama publicly criticized the investigation, calling it "appalling" and a "politically motivated witch hunt" orchestrated by the Trump administration. He argued on X that the government should not target individuals based on their political beliefs or statements.
"It is a basic principle of American democracy that the government can't selectively target individuals simply because of their political beliefs or what they say," Obama wrote. "But that's exactly what the Trump Administration is doing to Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota."
Obama detailed that Omar immigrated to the U.S. with her father at age 12 and became a citizen automatically five years later when her father naturalized. He suggested the investigation was attempting to build a case for deporting her on the theory that she was 18 when her father became a citizen, thus questioning her citizenship status.
Obama further stated that the "full weight of the federal government is being brought down on a law-abiding elected official because she has dared to criticize the president." He drew parallels to previous instances where the Justice Department, under President Trump, had pursued actions against political opponents, which he claimed often resulted in stalled trials or dismissals.
President Trump, when asked about the investigation prior to Mullin's remarks, stated he had no knowledge of it but called Omar "a terrible person." Omar, a member of the progressive "Squad," has been a frequent target of Trump's criticism.
The raid on Omar's home follows a separate incident less than seven weeks prior, where Minneapolis police seized guns and ammunition from an apartment shared by Omar's son, Adnan Hirsi, and arrested his roommate on a weapons charge. Hirsi was not accused of any wrongdoing.