Immigration agents searched the Washington-area home of Minnesota Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday morning as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, officials said.
A US justice department spokesperson said Homeland Security Investigations agents carried out a judicially authorised search warrant at the property. The spokesperson said the search was part of an active federal criminal case but did not provide further details. It is not clear whether Omar was inside the home, and Congress is not currently in session. Omar has been contacted for comment.
Omar’s immigration history and earlier scrutiny
Omar was born in Somalia and moved to the United States at the age of eight to escape war. She was first elected to Congress in 2018 and is seeking reelection next month. She is also a sharp critic of President Donald Trump.
Although the nature of the current probe remains unclear, her immigration records have drawn attention from Republicans before. Earlier this year, South Carolina Representative Nancy Mace unsuccessfully sought a subpoena for those records.
Trump’s attacks and comments about Somali Americans
Omar, a Democrat, has been a frequent target of Trump’s insults. Trump has previously suggested she return to Somalia and has at times said she should be deported. US citizenship is a requirement for serving in the House, and Omar has described the president’s attacks as an unhealthy and unsettling obsession.
Trump has also spoken unfavourably about the Somali American community. Last week, he wrote on social media that Minnesota was being taken over by Somali immigrants and said its residents must fight back.
Omar is the first Somali American elected to the House of Representatives and represents a district in the Minneapolis area. She and Michigan Representative Rashida Tlaib were the first Muslim women elected to Congress.
