Tom Emmer, the No. 3 leader in the House of Representatives and a Republican from Minnesota, has stated that Rep. Ilhan Omar should face imprisonment and deportation if federal investigators prove she or her father lied on citizenship paperwork. Emmer, who is also the Majority Whip, made these remarks in an interview with Fox News Digital while addressing the ongoing federal investigation into Omar's immigration history.
The probe centers on allegations that Omar or her father misstated her birth year on federal documents. Her family fled Somalia in the late 1990s, and her father became a U.S. citizen in 2000. At that time, Omar was believed to be 17 years old. Under U.S. law, a minor in that situation would have automatically qualified for citizenship along with her father. However, recent allegations suggest she was actually 18, which would have required her to undergo the citizenship process independently.
Federal agents raided Omar's home in Washington, D.C., earlier this week and seized her cellphone and other possessions. The Department of Justice confirmed that the action was based on a judicially authorized search warrant. Emmer argued that the existence of this warrant indicates a reasonable basis to believe a federal crime occurred. He noted that a judge had to determine there was probable cause before authorizing the search.
Omar has denied wrongdoing and characterized the investigation as political persecution. In a post on X following the raid, she stated that the probe is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. She described the action as the latest escalation in a campaign of political intimidation by President Donald Trump and declared that she would not be silenced.
Democrats have criticized the timing of the raid, which occurred less than three weeks before the November 3 election. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and his top deputies issued a joint statement describing the raid as deeply disturbing. They accused the federal government of corruptly weaponizing its resources against Trump's adversaries.
Emmer rejected the characterization of the probe as political. He stated that if it is determined that Omar lied to gain citizenship, she should face consequences, including serving time in what he referred to as the "gray bar motel" and then leaving the country. He added that she should go back to where she came from and get back to the front of the line for citizenship if the allegations are proven true.
Omar is a member of the House "Squad," a group of progressive lawmakers that includes Reps. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York. Fox News Digital reached out to Omar's congressional office for comment but did not include a response in the report.