Ilhan Omar Home Raided Amidst Investigation Into Immigration Fraud Allegations
Federal agents reportedly collected DNA from trash outside the congresswoman's home prior to executing a search warrant.
Federal agents allegedly engaged in 'dumpster diving' to collect DNA from Ilhan Omar's trash in the days preceding a raid on her Washington, D.C. home, sources familiar with the investigation told NewsNation. The probe reportedly centers on allegations of immigration fraud, including claims that Omar's father misrepresented her age when she obtained U.S. citizenship in 2000 and that she later married her brother to help him gain citizenship.
Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of ICE, conducted the search on Monday, seizing Omar's cellphone, notebooks, personal computers, and passport. The exact nature of the federal criminal investigation remains unclear.
A federal judge approved the raid after investigators presented messages from Omar's sister, Sahra Noor, whose phone was reportedly seized earlier this year. The contents of these messages are not publicly known.
Sources indicate that Omar's home was searched as part of a broader operation involving more than a dozen simultaneous raids. The investigation is also said to implicate other family members, with subpoenas reportedly issued to some.
Omar, a Democrat representing Minnesota since 2019, has characterized the search as an escalation of President Donald Trump's "campaign of political intimidation." Trump has denied any involvement, stating, "I think she’s a terrible person... but that has nothing to do with me."
The timing of the raids, occurring just three weeks before Omar's re-election bid, is notable given the Justice Department's customary 60-day practice of avoiding actions that could influence voter decisions.
Former federal prosecutor Shan Wu expressed skepticism about the relevance of DNA evidence to a fraud investigation, suggesting it might point to an effort to prove presence at a location rather than financial misconduct. However, DNA evidence could be relevant to longstanding allegations that Omar married Somali community leader Ahmed Elmi, whom some claim is her brother, in 2009 to help him obtain U.S. citizenship. Omar has consistently denied these claims, labeling them as "racist."
There is speculation that the investigation could be an effort to challenge Omar's U.S. citizenship. To revoke citizenship, the Justice Department would need to file a civil lawsuit and prove material misrepresentations were made during the naturalization process. Authorities are reportedly seeking immigration records to determine if Omar or her father altered her age on her citizenship application, which would have affected her eligibility based on her father's naturalization.
Omar, born in Mogadishu, Somalia, became a naturalized U.S. citizen. She has stated she became a citizen before turning 18 through her father's naturalization. The Justice Department initially investigated Omar under the Biden administration before closing the case, with parts later revived and expanded under the Trump administration.
Omar responded to the developments via a statement on X, formerly Twitter, writing, "Trump and his administration have been after me since I arrived in Congress. I have always stood up to him and that will never change."