Ilhan Omar's Sister Cancels Book Event Amid Federal Investigation and Home Raid

Sahra Noor, the older sister of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., canceled a scheduled book tour event at the University of Minnesota Rochester on Thursday night, citing a “family emergency.” The cancellation occurred in the wake of a federal raid on Omar's Washington D.C. home earlier this week.

Noor, who is promoting her memoir "Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story," was slated to appear at the university's Intercultural Student Center. However, upon arrival, the venue was found empty, and attendees who had RSVP'd received no prior notification of a change.

The bookstore organizing the event, Garden Party Books, confirmed the cancellation due to a family emergency. Noor, who came to the U.S. as a refugee in the 1990s, reportedly lives in Nairobi, Kenya, and has been on a worldwide book tour.

This development comes as Rep. Omar faces scrutiny from federal authorities. A federal probe is investigating potential immigration fraud, and a separate inquiry is examining her financial disclosures. Sources have indicated that Noor herself was subpoenaed in relation to the immigration investigation concerning her sister.

Federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Omar's residence on Monday morning. Reports suggest the investigation stems from whether Omar or her late father fraudulently completed her citizenship paperwork. The Wall Street Journal reported that Omar's phone, passport, and computers were seized during the raid.

Omar has publicly denounced the search as an "outrageous abuse of power" and accused federal law enforcement of being weaponized against political opponents.

Noor's book tour has included events in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, as well as appearances in South Africa in early September. Her next scheduled event is in Seattle on Oct. 23.