Democratic Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar, whose home was raided by immigration agents this week as part of a federal criminal investigation into her, has become the 17th Democrat to be probed during President Donald Trump’s second term. On Monday, Homeland Security agents searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home, just over three weeks before Election Day. Without naming Omar, the Department of Justice (DOJ) told Newsweek that agents “executed a judicially authorized search warrant.” The warrant lists several potential immigration offenses under investigation, including false statements and fraud in immigration paperwork, as well as a general conspiracy charge, The New York Times reported, citing a person familiar with the document.
Newsweek has not independently reviewed the warrant. Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said Omar “married her brother to try to bring him into the United States,” something Omar has repeatedly denied. Newsweek has broken down details of Omar’s life and family history here.
Omar has repeatedly said the probe into her is politically motivated, saying after Monday’s raid: "Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.” Trump has denied being involved in the investigation, telling reporters on Monday that he has “nothing to do with it.” Omar is one of 17 Democrats who have been investigated during Trump’s second term that began in January 2025, including preliminary inquiries, administrative reviews and military investigations and criminal probes. Newsweek has contacted Omar’s office and the DOJ via email for comment. When Newsweek approached the White House, it was directed to the DOJ.
White House border czar Tom Homan confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was looking into Omar last month, when he told Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing about the “ongoing criminal investigation.” He would not detail what the allegations were at the time, adding: "If someone committed an immigration violation, if someone committed marriage fraud or anything like that, regardless if they're a congressman or not, no one's above the law. So, I'll leave it at that.” Omar, 44, was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, before fleeing the country’s civil war when she was 8 years old. She spent four years at a refugee camp in Kenya before migrating to the United States in the 1990s, her official House biography says.
In 2018, she was elected to represent Minnesota's 5th District, including Minneapolis, becoming the first African refugee to serve in Congress. Her background has repeatedly faced scrutiny from conservatives, with her office saying that Trump has “relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back.” Monday’s “raid by Trump’s DHS is an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies,” her office said in a statement. It called the raid “pointless” and added: “The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong.” Trump told reporters on Monday that he had “nothing to do” with the DOJ investigation into Omar and described her as a “terrible person.” Arizona Senator Mark Kelly was the subject of a misconduct review, which later became a military investigation, over a video of him reminding service members they can refuse illegal orders last November.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth moved to censure him, in the first step in proceedings that could have reduced Kelly’s retired rank and pension, but in February of this year, a federal judge blocked the actions. The government appealed, with arguments heard in May, but no ruling has been made. Former President Bill Clinton, along with other named figures, was made the subject of an inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s relationships.
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