Federal investigators are reportedly building a case to potentially revoke the U.S. citizenship of Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN), which could lead to her deportation. The Trump administration is examining the Minnesota congresswoman's immigration history, specifically looking into whether she or her late father provided false information while obtaining legal status and citizenship decades ago. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that this investigation could result in the loss of Omar’s citizenship if authorities establish it was unlawfully obtained.
Omar, who was born in Somalia, arrived in the United States in 1995 after her family spent time at a refugee camp in Kenya. She subsequently became a U.S. citizen in 2000. Investigators are reportedly examining whether Omar or her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, misrepresented her age on immigration paperwork. Such a misrepresentation could have potentially allowed her to obtain citizenship automatically through her father’s naturalization before she turned 18. Authorities are also reviewing other aspects of her father’s immigration history, including information submitted during his application process.
The investigation escalated significantly on Monday when federal agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence. This action was carried out under a court-authorized warrant. During the search, agents seized several personal belongings, including electronic devices and her cellphone, as part of the ongoing inquiry. In addition to the search, federal authorities have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, with some reportedly involving members of Omar’s family, according to The Associated Press. A grand jury in Minnesota is actively examining evidence related to possible fraud involving the congresswoman’s immigration records.
The scope of federal scrutiny reportedly extends beyond immigration matters. Federal authorities are separately examining Omar’s financial disclosures. These inquiries include questions surrounding the reported value of assets associated with her and her husband. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has publicly acknowledged that multiple investigations involving Representative Omar are currently underway, indicating a broad federal effort.
Allegations concerning Omar’s citizenship history are not entirely new. Similar claims were previously examined during the Biden administration. However, officials at that time ultimately declined to pursue an investigation based on the information available, as reported by The Washington Post. The Trump administration has since renewed scrutiny of these allegations, leading to the current intensified investigation.
Representative Omar has repeatedly denied committing immigration fraud, maintaining that her citizenship was lawfully obtained. Following the search of her residence on Monday, Omar condemned the investigation and stated that she would not be silenced. She has also publicly accused President Donald Trump of utilizing federal law enforcement agencies to intimidate political opponents, suggesting the investigation is politically motivated.
The timing of the federal action has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers. The search of Omar’s residence occurred approximately three weeks before the November midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking reelection. The Justice Department has a long-standing practice of discouraging overt investigative actions involving political candidates shortly before elections, though this practice is not an absolute legal prohibition. President Trump has denied personally directing the search of Omar’s residence, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Revoking U.S. citizenship, a process known as denaturalization, would require federal authorities to establish legally sufficient grounds for such an action through judicial proceedings. A citizenship investigation alone does not establish wrongdoing, and as of Wednesday, Representative Omar has not been stripped of her citizenship or ordered deported. The Justice Department would need to demonstrate that a qualifying misrepresentation or other unlawful conduct materially affected the acquisition of citizenship. As of the current reporting, authorities had not publicly announced a denaturalization lawsuit against Omar. The investigation remains ongoing, with federal authorities continuing to examine records and gather evidence concerning her family’s immigration history.
