Ilhan Omar Addresses Federal Probe, Vows to Continue Voting
Representative Ilhan Omar, facing a federal investigation into her immigration history, asserted her right to vote and dismissed concerns about her citizenship.
Rep. Ilhan Omar stated on Friday that she will continue to vote in Minnesota, her home state, despite an ongoing federal investigation into her immigration history. The probe has included a search of her Washington, D.C. home and the issuance of grand jury subpoenas to her family members.
Omar, who is seeking reelection, briefly addressed reporters after casting her ballot. The investigation reportedly centers on allegations of misrepresentation in immigration paperwork, including claims of a sham marriage to her brother and the use of an alias. Federal agents searched her home on October 12, seizing her cellphone.
She has denied any wrongdoing, characterizing the investigation as politically motivated. No charges have been filed.
A federal filing reportedly lists her full name as "Ilhan Nur Said Elmi," suggesting that Elmi, the last name of her former husband, may be her birth name. This husband has been rumored to be her brother. The filing implies that federal authorities possess evidence of her birth with that name.
When asked by reporters if this would be her last opportunity to vote, Omar responded definitively, "No, and I’ll continue to vote." She added that federal officials have not communicated any information that would jeopardize her U.S. citizenship.
Following her remarks, Omar posted on social media, criticizing President Trump and what she referred to as the "most corrupt DOJ in American history" for targeting her. She asserted, "My name has always been Ilhan Omar." She also suggested scrutiny of Vice President JD Vance's name.
Omar, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Somalia, was first elected to Congress in 2018 representing Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. The current probe is examining allegations that Omar or her late father provided false information on immigration forms when the family immigrated from Somalia in the 1990s. Investigators are reportedly using DNA evidence to assess the familial relationship between Omar and her former husband. Additionally, her father's immigration records are under review, as is a separate Justice Department inquiry into her financial disclosures following an amended filing that initially reported millions in assets, later attributed to an accounting error.