Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Washington, D.C., home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Monday. The Justice Department confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of ICE, conducted the search as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. Two sources close to the matter stated the probe stems from a criminal fraud investigation into Omar's immigration paperwork, which was completed by her late father when she was a child. Omar has repeatedly denied allegations of immigration fraud and asserts she is in the country unlawfully.
Democratic lawmakers immediately condemned the action as a political intimidation tactic by President Donald Trump. U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., described the raid as a "deeply disturbing" example of the "continued corrupt weaponization of the federal government against Donald Trump's adversaries." Rep. Pramila Jayapal, a member of the progressive group known as the Squad, called the move a personal attack by Trump, who she said has targeted Omar and the broader Somali American population. "This is his way of bullying his way back into power," Jayapal said.
Other Democrats emphasized Omar's legal status to counter the administration's actions. Rep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., noted that Omar has been a U.S. citizen for 26 years and was legally admitted as a refugee as a child. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., echoed these sentiments, stating that Trump is "weaponizing the federal government to silence opposition." Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also posted statements on X characterizing the raid as an abuse of power and an attempt to interfere in the upcoming midterm elections.
Republicans in Congress defended the investigation while drawing parallels to previous political raids. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., pointed out that Democrats had blocked her attempts to subpoena Omar's immigration records through congressional oversight committees. Mace argued that if fraud is proven, Omar should be denaturalized and deported. She also reminded critics that Republicans had celebrated the 2022 raid on President Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, stating that Democrats "set the precedent" for such actions against political adversaries.
Other Republican lawmakers focused on accountability and verification of citizenship credentials. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., said in an interview with Fox News that if the allegations are true, they must be dealt with legally, while also advocating for disclosure requirements regarding dual citizenship for members of Congress. Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., agreed that if Omar lied on her paperwork, she should face denaturalization and deportation without special treatment. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., affirmed that "nobody is above the law" and said he looked forward to learning more details about the investigation.
The raid takes place with the Nov. 3 midterm elections approaching within weeks. Minnesota officials reported that mail and in-person absentee voting started on Sept. 18, with machine-based early voting scheduled to begin Friday. The office of Rep. Omar did not immediately respond to a request for comment.