White House border czar Tom Homan recently confirmed that federal authorities are conducting a criminal investigation involving Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN). Homan discussed the ongoing probe on Sunday during an appearance on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures,” bringing renewed attention to long-standing allegations concerning the Minnesota Democrat’s immigration history. While confirming the investigation, Homan declined to disclose its specific scope or identify the federal agencies leading the inquiry.
"Look, I can’t talk about an ongoing criminal investigation, but I will say this: I know things are going on." Tom Homan, White House Border Czar
The confirmation from a senior White House official intensifies scrutiny surrounding Rep. Omar, who was born in Somalia and arrived in the U.S. as a refugee before becoming a naturalized citizen in 2000. She was elected to Congress in 2018. Allegations, which have circulated for several years, claim that Omar married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom critics have alleged is her biological brother, to facilitate his acquisition of immigration benefits. These claims have never been formally established in court.
Rep. Omar has consistently and forcefully denied these allegations. In past statements, she has dismissed them as politically motivated "lies" and called the insinuation that Elmi is her brother "absolutely false and ridiculous," as well as "absurd and offensive." No publicly disclosed evidence has ever substantiated the claim that Omar and Elmi are siblings.
Homan's recent remarks follow earlier comments from other high-ranking administration officials. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin previously indicated that federal investigators were examining Omar's immigration history and other questions related to her family’s migration. Mullin made these assertions during an appearance at the 2026 Republican Midterm Convention in Dallas. He stated, "We know that she married her brother to try to bring him into the U.S." Mullin also suggested that the investigation might extend beyond the marriage allegation, adding, "There may be more to this — the whole family migration and possibly some illegal activity for them to come to the U.S. to begin with. But all of this, we’re investigating." He stressed that any potential enforcement or criminal proceedings would be based on evidence, not politics, stating, "If we actually move a case forward, it’s not a political case. It’s actually a case because they did things wrong."
Vice President JD Vance also previously addressed the allegations, confirming in May that the Justice Department was reviewing the claims against Omar to determine if sufficient evidence existed to pursue a case. "It certainly seems like something fishy is there, but everybody’s entitled to equal justice under the laws, so we’re going to investigate it," Vance said at the time. "If we think that there’s a crime, we’re going to prosecute that crime."
Further intensifying questions about federal activity, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) declined to release records requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) related to the matter. ICE invoked an exemption typically used to protect law-enforcement material whose disclosure "could reasonably be expected to interfere with enforcement proceedings." The agency did not specifically identify Omar in its response or detail the nature of any such proceedings.
President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the issue, previously sharing a report concerning ICE’s response and reiterating his criticism of Rep. Omar, who is one of his most vocal congressional opponents. The renewed focus on the allegations comes amidst a politically charged environment, where immigration policies and the conduct of public officials are frequent subjects of debate.
Records indicate that Omar legally married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, a British-Somali citizen, in 2009. She reportedly obtained a religious divorce in 2011, though their legal divorce was not finalized until 2017. During part of this period, Omar had reunited with Ahmed Hirsi, with whom she had children and later legally married. In 2019, Minnesota campaign-finance officials found that Omar and Hirsi filed joint tax returns in 2014 and 2015 while she remained legally married to Elmi. These findings did not directly address the alleged sibling relationship but highlighted inconsistencies in her marital status documentation.
As of Sunday, no charges have been announced against Rep. Omar. Neither Homan nor Mullin presented new public evidence to support the central marriage allegation during their recent comments. Rep. Omar’s office had not issued an immediate response to Homan’s latest statements. The confirmation of an ongoing criminal investigation signals continued federal scrutiny into the long-standing allegations surrounding the congresswoman’s immigration history.
