WASHINGTON (Web Desk) – US authorities conducted a predawn raid on the Washington-area home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of an ongoing federal investigation, the US Justice Department said.
The search was carried out by Homeland Security Investigations under a judicially authorised warrant obtained by the Justice Department, according to a department spokesperson.
The spokesperson did not disclose further details about the investigation.
Fox News Digital reported that the raid followed a criminal fraud investigation concerning immigration paperwork completed by Omar’s late father when she was a child. The specific allegations and their status were not independently confirmed in the information provided by officials.
Omar’s representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The development comes less than a month before the November 3 midterm elections, in which Republicans are seeking to retain their narrow majorities in Congress.
Omar has frequently clashed with Trump
Omar, a Somali-born American lawmaker representing Minnesota, has been a prominent critic of President Donald Trump and his administration’s immigration policies.
Trump has repeatedly targeted Omar in public remarks, while his comments about Somali Americans and Muslim communities have drawn criticism from civil rights advocates.
Omar has previously described the president’s repeated focus on her as an “unhealthy and creepy obsession”.
In February, Trump called for Omar and Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, another Muslim lawmaker, to be institutionalised and sent back to where they came from. Both representatives have criticised his immigration crackdown and other administration policies.
Trump’s remarks about Somali Americans have also sparked controversy, with civil rights advocates accusing him of using rhetoric that fuels hostility towards minority communities and immigrants.
Immigration investigation raises political questions
The search comes at a politically sensitive time, with immigration enforcement and national identity among the prominent issues ahead of the midterm elections.
However, the execution of a search warrant does not by itself establish criminal wrongdoing. Further details from investigators would be needed to determine the precise scope of the case and whether any charges will follow.
Omar has also said that she and her family have faced repeated death threats, which she has attributed to hostile political rhetoric.
Last month, a Minnesota man was sentenced to one year and two months in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a federal official in connection with an incident in which he sprayed vinegar on Omar. The man admitted that his actions were motivated by disagreement with her political views.
The latest raid is likely to intensify political debate over the treatment of outspoken lawmakers, immigration enforcement and the use of federal investigative powers during an election campaign.
For now, the Justice Department has confirmed the search but has not publicly provided a detailed account of the underlying allegations.
