Feds Use DNA Evidence in Immigration Fraud Probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar
Sources say the investigation into the Minnesota congresswoman includes allegations of marrying her brother for immigration benefits.
Federal prosecutors are leveraging DNA evidence as part of a broad investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), aiming to prove allegations of immigration fraud, according to sources familiar with the inquiry. The criminal probe is reportedly focused, in part, on claims that Omar married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009 to help him obtain a green card, though the document was never secured.
This development comes as federal agents executed a search warrant at Omar's Washington, D.C. residence on October 12, 2026, removing boxes marked as evidence. People close to the investigation indicated that the DNA evidence, combined with whistleblower accounts and government records, provides a strong foundation for presenting charges of conspiracy to commit immigration fraud to a grand jury. The investigation, initiated by the Minnesota US Attorney’s Office, has been ongoing for several years.
Sources have pushed back against earlier reports suggesting investigators were "dumpster diving" for DNA samples. It remains unclear if the DNA was collected before or after the October search of Omar's home. Legal experts note that even if some alleged actions fall outside the statute of limitations, they can still be used to prove a conspiracy charge. "If you argue a conspiracy, you can allege overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy that are outside the statute of limitations," explained Neama Rahmini, a former federal prosecutor.
Beyond the immigration fraud allegations, the U.S. Attorney's office in D.C. is also examining Omar's finances, including discrepancies in her House disclosures that reportedly reduced her net worth by millions due to an accounting anomaly. D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that a judge would not have signed the warrant without probable cause and that any crime committed would be prosecuted.
Omar has consistently denied accusations of a sibling marriage since her 2016 campaign for state representative. Elmi, who divorced Omar in 2017, reportedly withdrew an application for a marriage-based green card in 2019 after U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services requested further documentation regarding their marriage. Former Border Czar Tom Homan suggested that the evidence could form a strong case, potentially leading the Trump administration to seek Omar's denaturalization and deportation. Omar emigrated from Somalia with her family in 1995.
Previous aspects of the immigration fraud probe have included allegations that Omar or her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, misrepresented Omar's birth date to facilitate her U.S. citizenship upon her father's naturalization in 2000. Legal analyses suggest that the statute of limitations for providing false information on immigration paperwork is longer than for fraudulent marriage.
Conviction for marriage fraud might not jeopardize Omar's citizenship in the same way as a case involving false statements on official documents. Prosecutors may aim to prove a conspiracy within the 10-year statute of limitations or pursue a civil case, which has no statute of limitations. Rahmini suggested that conspiracy charges could be pursued due to the involvement of Omar's deceased father as an unindicted co-conspirator and to encompass older conduct outside the statute of limitations.
The execution of the search warrant is seen by some as an indication of strong evidence, potentially leading to an indictment. However, the denaturalization and deportation of a sitting member of Congress would represent an unprecedented action by the Department of Justice.
Omar's legal defense has asserted there is "no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status." Previous investigations into the alleged sibling marriage during the first Trump administration reportedly did not yield sufficient evidence.
Omar's marital history includes a legal marriage to Elmi, from whom she separated in 2011. She gave birth to her last child while legally married to Elmi. Records reviewed by The Post also indicate Omar and Elmi may have shared a residence with Ahmed Hirsi, Omar's first husband, at one point. Omar filed joint taxes with Hirsi in 2014 and 2015 while still legally married to Elmi.
Omar divorced Hirsi in 2019 to marry Tim Mynett, a political consultant who worked for her campaign. Mynett, when asked about the search of his wife's home, stated that "My wife came here when she was 12 years old as a child war refugee."
Omar's attorneys sent a letter to the Department of Justice expressing "grave concerns" about the investigation, alleging it was politically motivated and demanding the return of seized property. The DOJ responded, calling the letter "riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies" and stating that law enforcement "complied with all court orders and legal obligations."