Ilhan Omar to Move From D.C. Home After Federal Search

U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar announced Wednesday that she will move out of her Washington, D.C., home, which was searched by federal agents last week. Omar stated that the attention brought on by the raid has made her feel unsafe in the residence.

Federal authorities are investigating potential fraud in her family's immigration paperwork and have issued grand jury subpoenas to some of her relatives, according to a person briefed on the investigation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation.

Omar, who was born in Somalia and is a naturalized U.S. citizen, said in an interview that she is “confident in the fact that I didn’t do anything wrong.” The progressive Minnesota Democrat has been a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, who has previously called for the prosecution of perceived political enemies.

Omar recounted waking up around 6 a.m. to Homeland Security investigators with a warrant. The search lasted four to five hours, during which agents seized 17 items, including phones, notebooks, a Somali language children’s book, and a vintage camera given to her husband as a gift, she said. The Justice Department has provided minimal details about the case, only confirming it is a criminal investigation.

Omar immigrated to the U.S. with her family at age 12 after they obtained asylum and became a U.S. citizen in 2000.

The search drew significant condemnation from congressional Democrats, who also questioned the timing of the action, given that the Justice Department has historically avoided overt investigative actions involving candidates in the immediate run-up to an election. Omar described the agents as “intrusive but polite,” meticulously logging the items they took and returning everything else to its place.