A federal criminal investigation into immigration papers filed for Rep. Ilhan Omar’s family when she was a child has now reached her home in Washington, D.C.
Story Snapshot
- Federal agents searched Omar’s D.C. home in a pre-dawn raid under a search warrant approved by a judge.
- Sources say the probe centers on immigration paperwork her late father filled out when she was young.
- Omar says she has “done nothing wrong” and vows, “I will not be silenced.”
- The Justice Department calls the search part of “an ongoing federal criminal investigation.” No charges have been filed.
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations, the criminal investigations arm of the Department of Homeland Security, arrived at the Minnesota Democrat’s home before sunrise on Monday, Oct. 12, and carried out the search. Sources familiar with the case say the reason is a fraud probe into the immigration papers her late father completed for the family when she was a child. Omar was born in Somalia. A Justice Department spokesperson said agents “executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice.”
Omar Says She Will Not Be Silenced
Omar answered Monday on social media. “I’m ok,” she wrote, adding, “I will not be silenced.” She called the search “an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” Her office said she has “done nothing wrong” and called the raid an “outrageous abuse of power.”
Top House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York, called the search “deeply disturbing.” Back in September, when the probe first became public, Omar said no one had contacted her about any investigation.
What the Warrant Means
To get a search warrant, prosecutors must show a judge probable cause. That means a solid reason to believe evidence of a crime may be found in a certain place. It is a real legal step, but it is a much lower bar than the proof needed to convict someone in court.
Searches tied to sitting members of Congress are rare, but they have happened before. In 2006, FBI agents searched the Capitol Hill office of a Louisiana congressman in a bribery case. Officials have not said what agents took from Omar’s home, if anything, or whether she was there during the search.
How the Investigation Grew
The probe has been building for weeks. In September, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said investigators were looking at Omar’s immigration history. He pointed to a long-disputed claim about her 2009 marriage to British citizen Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, which Omar has called lies, and said there “may be more to this, the whole family migration.” He added, “If we actually move a case forward, it’s not a political case.”
In mid-September, Tom Homan, the White House border czar who leads the administration’s border and deportation work, said Omar was the subject of an ongoing “criminal” investigation. Monday’s warrant is the first public sign that the case has gone before a judge.
What Happens Now
The Justice Department has not filed charges and has not said when it will decide whether to do so. The warrant application and the sworn statement behind it, called an affidavit, have not been made public. Those papers would lay out what agents were looking for and why a judge signed off.
For conservatives, the stakes are simple. Immigration law should apply to everyone the same way, whether the person is a newcomer or a member of Congress. Omar is presumed innocent, and if this case moves forward, it will be decided in a courtroom on the evidence.
Sources:
youtube.com, english.ahram.org.eg, yahoo.com, washingtontimes.com
