HSI agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant at the Washington, D.C.-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar early Monday as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, the U.S. Justice Department confirmed, in a dramatic escalation of a probe that administration officials had publicly acknowledged last month.
FAKTA
- What happened: Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the criminal-investigations arm of the Department of Homeland Security, searched Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington-area residence on Monday morning. Fox News Digital reported agents arrived around 6 a.m. Eastern Time.
- Official confirmation: A Justice Department spokesperson said HSI “executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice” and that the action is “part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.”
- What is not known: The department did not disclose what alleged offense the warrant relates to or what agents were seeking.
- Attributed claims: Two sources told Fox News Digital the probe centers on immigration paperwork allegedly completed by Omar’s late father when she was a child. The Associated Press reported independently that federal agents searched the home as part of a criminal investigation, with details unclear.
- Her position: Omar has previously denied allegations about her immigration history as “disgusting lies.” Her office had not issued a public statement as of Monday morning.
Ilhan Omar HSI search carried out before dawn
The search was reported first by Fox News Digital, which obtained video of multiple agents in HSI jackets outside the Minnesota congresswoman’s residence. The Associated Press then independently confirmed the development, citing two people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation. CNN reported the same facts, citing a Justice Department spokesperson and a source familiar with the matter.
White House border czar Tom Homan, who last month publicly acknowledged that Omar was the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation, confirmed on Fox News on Monday morning that the search warrant had been executed but declined to provide specifics, saying he did not want to get ahead of the Justice Department on an active investigation.
What the investigation involves — and what it does not say yet
Authorities have not said what prompted Monday’s search. Administration officials have previously indicated that Omar faced an investigation: the Associated Press reported that Vice President JD Vance signaled in May that the administration would investigate Omar over immigration-fraud allegations, which she has denied.
According to the two sources cited by Fox News Digital, investigators are examining immigration documents completed by Omar’s late father when she was a child. Omar arrived in the United States in 1995 as a refugee from Somalia and became a U.S. citizen in 2000, according to biographical details cited across the reporting. She has said federal investigators had not contacted her before the search.
Context of the case
Omar, 44, a Democrat, has represented Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis, since she was first elected to the House in 2018. She is one of the most prominent members of the progressive group of lawmakers known as the “Squad.” She is currently running for reelection, and the warrant was executed weeks before the midterm elections.
Questions about Omar’s background have been raised publicly by political opponents since before she was elected. Omar has consistently rejected them. No charges have been announced in connection with the investigation, and the Justice Department has released no further details beyond confirming that the search warrant was executed as part of an ongoing federal criminal probe.
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