Immigration Authorities Search Home of Trump Critic Ilhan Omar
US immigration authorities searched the Washington, DC, home of Ilhan Omar, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota and a vocal critic of President Donald Trump. The search was conducted early Monday under a court-approved warrant. The US Justice Department said it was part of an ongoing federal investigation.
According to Reuters, a person familiar with the investigation said authorities were examining allegations of possible immigration fraud. One aspect of the investigation concerns immigration documents completed by Omar’s late father when she was a child. Authorities have not disclosed further details or released evidence supporting the allegations.
Ms. Omar has accused the Mr. Trump administration of using the federal government to target political opponents. In a social media post, she said Mr. Trump had spread baseless allegations and misinformation about her for the past 10 years. She described the search as the latest attempt to intimidate her politically and vowed not to remain silent.
Mr. Trump commented on Ms. Omar during a campaign event in Youngstown, Ohio, on Monday. Omar, who was born in Somalia, became a US citizen in 2000 and later settled in Minnesota, which has a large Somali-American community.
During the rally, Mr. Trump made derogatory remarks about Somalia, prompting some attendees to chant, “Deport them.” He urged supporters to vote for Republican candidates and said Ohio must be protected from looting and destruction like those he claimed had occurred in Minnesota.
A Justice Department spokesperson said officers from Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant in the Washington, DC, area on Monday. The warrant had been authorised through the Justice Department. Homeland Security Investigations is part of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Last month, Mr. Trump-appointed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin hinted at an ongoing investigation into how Ms. Omar’s family entered the United States. Speaking to conservative podcast host Benny Johnson, Mullin said something was going to happen regarding the matter. He added that Ms. Omar or her family members could be deported if authorities established that they had never been legally entitled to remain in the country.
The search took place just over three weeks before the US midterm elections, scheduled for November 3. Republicans are seeking to retain control of Congress. Ms. Omar, 44, represents a Democratic-leaning district in Minnesota. She defeated her opponent by a margin of 50 percentage points in the 2024 election and is seeking a fifth term in the House of Representatives.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other party leaders condemned the search. In a statement, they called the incident deeply concerning and said it raised serious questions about whether the Mr. Trump administration was using federal agencies against political opponents.
Mr. Jeffries, along with House members Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar, accused the administration of targeting Ms. Omar. They said Mr. Trump’s immigration crackdown had now reached the home of an elected member of Congress and her family. They called for those responsible to be held accountable.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also criticised the operation. In a social media post, he accused Mr. Trump of abusing his power to target a political opponent just weeks before the election. Few Republican lawmakers have publicly commented on the search. One of them, Representative Nancy Mace, said Omar’s citizenship should be revoked and she should be deported if the fraud allegations were proven. However, the allegations remain unproven.
Justice Department policy prohibits scheduling investigations to influence election results or benefit a particular candidate or political party. Historically, the department has generally avoided highly visible investigative steps against candidates within about 60 days of an election.
Randall Eliason, a law professor at George Washington University and a former prosecutor in public corruption cases, said conducting such a search so close to an election appeared to depart from the department’s past practices. However, he noted that options for enforcing the policy were limited.
According to a person familiar with the investigation, the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter were consulted before the search. The section has historically advised on investigations involving members of Congress. The Trump administration has reduced its staff to about two attorneys and significantly limited its authority.
During Mr. Trump’s second term, the Justice Department has investigated or brought charges against several people viewed as his political opponents. They include former FBI Director James Comey, New York Attorney General Letitia James and Mr. Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton. Investigations have also targeted Democratic lawmakers who urged military personnel to refuse illegal orders, Senator Adam Schiff, and Federal Reserve officials Jerome Powell and Lisa Cook.
According to Reuters, a federal judge dismissed the case against Mr. James and one of the two cases brought against Comey. Mr. Bolton, meanwhile, has pleaded guilty and is due to be sentenced this month. Grand juries and federal judges have also blocked progress in several investigations.
Mr. Trump has repeatedly made derogatory remarks about Ms. Omar and Somali Americans. Ms. Omar has described his attention toward her as an “unhealthy and weird obsession.” She has also alleged that Mr. Trump’s hateful political rhetoric has led to death threats against her and her family.
Last month, a Minnesota man sprayed vinegar on Ms. Omar. The man, Anthony James Kazmierczak, was later sentenced to 14 months in prison after admitting to assaulting a federal official. He acknowledged attacking Ms. Omar because he disagreed with her progressive political views. Authorities have not disclosed whether the incident was connected to the search of her home.
Source: Reuters
