US agents raid lawmaker Ilhan Omar’s home as part of immigration fraud probe

Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar. (AP Photo)

Federal agents raided the Washington-area home of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar early Monday as part of an ongoing federal investigation into her immigration paperwork.Homeland Security Investigations searched through a warrant authorised by a court and obtained by the Department of Justice, a DOJ spokesperson told Fox News Digital.“Today in the Washington, DC area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice,” the spokesperson said, adding that the action was part of an ongoing federal investigation.The probe reportedly focuses on immigration documents filled out by Omar’s late father when she was a child. The Somali-born lawmaker, who represents Minnesota, has previously faced allegations surrounding her immigration history, including claims that she married her brother to help him enter the United States.Omar has strongly dismissed the allegations, describing them as “absurd and offensive.”The raid marks an escalation in the investigation, which border czar Tom Homan publicly acknowledged in September.Homan declined to provide details about the case at the time but warned that “no one’s above the law”. He also declined to rule out the possibility of revoking Omar’s US citizenship.Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin had also indicated that the investigation extended beyond questions surrounding Omar’s 2009 marriage, saying that removal proceedings could follow if wrongdoing was established.The Department of Justice and Omar’s office had not immediately responded to requests for comment, according to reports.Omar, a prominent member of the progressive group known as the Squad, has been among President Donald Trump’s most vocal critics in Congress and has frequently drawn attacks from the president.The investigation comes as Minnesota faces increased scrutiny from the Trump administration over immigration enforcement and a sprawling Medicaid fraud scandal. Federal prosecutors have warned that the alleged fraud could involve billions of dollars.The state, which is home to the largest Somali community in the US, has also been at the centre of tensions over federal immigration operations following the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents in January.The incidents sparked widespread protests and criticism, including from some Republicans, putting further pressure on the administration’s immigration policies ahead of the November midterm elections.Omar married political consultant Tim Mynett in March 2020, following the finalisation of her divorce from Ahmed Hirsi, with whom she has three children.