Ilhan Omar Challenges Federal Search of Her Home in Citizenship Investigation

Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar has challenged the legality of an early-morning federal search of her Washington-area home and demanded the return of property seized during an investigation related to her citizenship.

Federal agents executed a search warrant Monday as part of what the Justice Department described as an ongoing criminal investigation. According to CNN, the probe concerns possible immigration fraud, false statements on government documents and a potential conspiracy. Agents seized items including Omar’s phone, computers and passport, multiple outlets reported. Subpoenas were also issued to several of her relatives and associates.

The Wall Street Journal reported that investigators are examining whether Omar’s late father misstated her age on citizenship paperwork, potentially allowing her to obtain citizenship alongside him. Omar, who arrived in the United States as a Somali refugee in 1995, became a naturalized citizen in 2000.

In a Friday letter to federal prosecutors obtained by CNN, attorneys Amy Jeffress and Joshua Matz called the investigation politically motivated and said there was no legitimate basis to allege that Omar violated citizenship laws. They also argued that agents may not have followed court-ordered procedures intended to protect congressional materials under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause. The warrant was authorized by a federal magistrate judge, who limited how investigators could access Omar’s documents.

President Donald Trump said he had “nothing to do with” the raid. Omar has denied wrongdoing and described the search as an abuse of federal law enforcement. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to CNN’s questions about her attorneys’ allegations.