Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant at the Washington-area home of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) on Monday, October 12. Agents arrived around 6 a.m. and removed items including her phone, passport, notebooks, and personal computers. The search is part of an ongoing federal investigation into allegations that Omar and her relatives may have misstated facts on immigration paperwork.
"This is politically motivated and an escalation of Trump’s personal vendetta against her lasting over a decade." Jackie Rogers, Spokeswoman for Rep. Ilhan Omar.
The inquiry reportedly traces back to 1995, when Omar’s family arrived in the United States as refugees from Somalia. Five years later, in 2000, Omar became a naturalized citizen at age 17, a status she has stated came through her father, Nur Omar Mohamed. Investigators are examining documents completed while Omar was a minor, focusing on the immigration applications her late father submitted. Allegations have also resurfaced regarding Omar’s 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, with claims, which Omar denies, that Elmi was her brother and the marriage was for immigration benefits. Additionally, sources previously alleged to the New York Post that Omar’s father misrepresented his identity upon entering the country.
The most recent developments in the investigation reportedly stem from the seizure of a phone belonging to Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, earlier this year. Noor, who lives in Kenya and recently published a memoir, canceled a book event citing a "family emergency" after the search on Omar's home. Text messages recovered from Noor's phone reportedly provided evidence that persuaded a federal judge to approve the warrant for Representative Omar’s residence. The specific contents of these messages have not been disclosed. The reporting indicates that there is no information suggesting Noor knowingly provided evidence or voluntarily surrendered her phone.
In addition to the items seized from Omar's home and her sister's phone, investigators have also collected DNA from items Omar discarded in her trash. Former FBI special agent Tracy Walder told NewsNation that investigators can easily obtain such material. The results of any DNA comparison have not been publicly disclosed.
A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed the authorization and execution of a search warrant secured by the Department of Justice, describing it as part of an ongoing federal investigation. The spokesperson did not name Omar or provide further details about the probe. Evidence gathered from the search is expected to be presented to a federal grand jury in Minnesota, which will determine whether to issue formal charges.
The scope of the investigation extends beyond Representative Omar's immediate devices and records. Several of Omar’s relatives have already received subpoenas, indicating that investigators are pursuing family communications and documentation alongside the original immigration applications. The probe now encompasses a phone seized from Noor, items taken from Omar’s home, DNA collected from trash, and records reaching back approximately three decades. No charges have been filed in connection with this investigation, which remains at the investigative and grand jury stage.
Tom Homan, who served as Border Czar during the current administration, has publicly acknowledged the scrutiny surrounding Omar. In September, Homan stated that Omar was the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation, though he did not provide specific details at the time. Omar had previously dismissed such allegations as politically motivated, stating that Homeland Security had not contacted her.
In response to the recent search, Omar’s office disputes the investigation’s legitimacy. Jackie Rogers, a spokeswoman for Representative Omar, declined to directly address the seizure of Noor’s phone. Rogers stated, "This is politically motivated and an escalation of President Trump’s personal vendetta against her lasting over a decade." She further accused President Donald Trump of spreading falsehoods to justify what she characterized as an abuse of power. Omar's office did not issue an immediate public response on the day the search warrant was executed.
