Ilhan Omar's former husband, suspected brother, referred to himself as 'gay man' in academic paper

Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, identified as both Congresswoman Ilhan Omar's ex-husband and suspected brother, referred to himself as a "gay man" in an academic paper published in August. Elmi, a doctoral researcher at the University of Bristol, authored the paper titled 'Out in the Field: Notes on Researching Queer Violence in Kenya.'

"As a gay man of the East African diaspora, my fieldwork was never neutral," Elmi wrote in the introduction. "It was a space shaped by tension, risk, intimacy and vulnerability." He further stated, "While navigating the challenges of ethnographic research, I immersed myself in the lived experiences of the people I spoke with, while also negotiating my own safety and the complexities of my identity."

Omar has consistently denied allegations that she entered into a marriage with Elmi in 2009 to help him obtain a green card, labeling these claims as a right-wing conspiracy theory. The Daily Mail has reported on these allegations, which suggest Omar left her first husband to marry Elmi.

These details emerge as the FBI and Homeland Security have reportedly investigated the alleged marriage for signs of fraud. The New York Times reported that a 2016 investigation stalled after prosecutors concluded potential criminal charges were outside the five-year statute of limitations. However, a separate review of Omar's immigration history in 2019, during the Trump administration, reportedly found insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.

Omar, a Minnesota congresswoman, has dismissed the allegations of marrying her brother as "insane," attributing their origin to a blog amplified by conspiracy theorists. When questioned by MS NOW's Chris Hayes about the possibility of her former husband being related to her, Omar stated, "Not to my knowledge."

President Donald Trump has publicly commented on Omar's response, questioning her certainty about not marrying her brother and calling for her resignation. Trump also cited a Justice Department filing that used the name 'Ilhan Nur Said Elmi' in reference to Omar.

The current federal inquiry is also examining questions surrounding Omar's family's arrival in the United States in 1995 and whether her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, misrepresented information on immigration paperwork. Investigators are reportedly focusing on whether Omar or her father intentionally misstated her birth date to ensure she qualified for U.S. citizenship through her father when he became a naturalized citizen in 2000. Her birth year has appeared as both 1981 and 1982 in official records, with her staff changing it on her Minnesota legislature biography in May 2019.

Authorities are also looking into whether her father omitted or misrepresented information about his past military service in Somalia. Omar was born in Somalia in 1982 and arrived in the U.S. with her family in 1995. Officials reviewing her file in 2019 noted that birth records for refugees from Somalia were often unreliable, making it difficult to conclusively resolve issues with her recorded age.

Public records indicate Omar legally married Elmi in February 2009, separating in 2011 and divorcing in December 2017. Elmi had previously sought to change his marriage-based green card from conditional to permanent status. According to a former immigration official cited by The Washington Post, authorities requested additional evidence due to concerns about the marriage's validity, and Elmi withdrew the application afterward.

Federal agents reportedly searched Omar's Washington, D.C., home on October 12 as part of a criminal investigation, seizing her phone and passport. Grand jury subpoenas have also been issued to some of her relatives. The Justice Department has not announced charges, and prosecutors have sought to keep the search warrant application sealed, citing the potential to jeopardize the ongoing investigation. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has indicated that the case could be presented to a grand jury. Omar has suggested the investigation is politically motivated, a claim that administration officials have denied, stating law enforcement decisions are based on facts and the law.