Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar early on Monday as part of an ongoing federal investigation into her immigration paperwork.
Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted the pre-dawn raid at the Minnesota lawmaker's DC-area residence. The Department of Justice confirmed that HSI had "executed a judicially authorized search warrant" as "part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation," but provided no further details about the purpose of the search.
The investigation reportedly centres on immigration documents filled out by Omar's late father when she arrived in the United States as a child refugee from Somalia. The Somali-born lawmaker, who represents Minnesota's 5th District and was first elected to Congress in 2018 as the first Somali American in the House, has strongly denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as false and politically motivated.
Omar: "I will not be silenced"
Omar characterised the search as "just the latest in (Trump's) campaign of political intimidation," writing on social media: "I'm ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. I will not be silenced."
Democrats decry the timing
House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, called the raid "deeply disturbing" in a joint statement, saying it came less than 30 days before the midterm election and represented an escalation of years of attacks on the congresswoman. Top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and border-enforcement chief Tom Homan — who publicly acknowledged in September that Omar was the subject of a continuing criminal investigation — have long accused her of immigration fraud, which she denies.
Sources: Rep. Ilhan Omar decries DHS search on home as 'political intimidation' | US agents raid lawmaker Ilhan Omar's home as part of immigration fraud probe
Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted the pre-dawn raid at the Minnesota lawmaker's DC-area residence. The Department of Justice confirmed that HSI had "executed a judicially authorized search warrant" as "part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation," but provided no further details about the purpose of the search.
The investigation reportedly centres on immigration documents filled out by Omar's late father when she arrived in the United States as a child refugee from Somalia. The Somali-born lawmaker, who represents Minnesota's 5th District and was first elected to Congress in 2018 as the first Somali American in the House, has strongly denied any wrongdoing, describing the allegations as false and politically motivated.
Omar: "I will not be silenced"
Omar characterised the search as "just the latest in (Trump's) campaign of political intimidation," writing on social media: "I'm ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. I will not be silenced."
Democrats decry the timing
House Democratic leadership, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, called the raid "deeply disturbing" in a joint statement, saying it came less than 30 days before the midterm election and represented an escalation of years of attacks on the congresswoman. Top Trump administration officials, including Vice President JD Vance and border-enforcement chief Tom Homan — who publicly acknowledged in September that Omar was the subject of a continuing criminal investigation — have long accused her of immigration fraud, which she denies.
Sources: Rep. Ilhan Omar decries DHS search on home as 'political intimidation' | US agents raid lawmaker Ilhan Omar's home as part of immigration fraud probe
