Federal investigators searched Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar's Washington home Monday as part of a criminal inquiry reportedly involving immigration documents completed by her father when she was a child, bringing an investigation of a prominent Trump critic into public view three weeks before the midterm elections.
The Associated Press and Fox News reported that Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted the search. The Justice Department confirmed that agents executed a court-authorized warrant in the Washington area but did not publicly identify the investigation's precise focus or disclose whether prosecutors were considering charges.
"Today in the Washington, DC area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation," a department spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter, reported that investigators were examining paperwork submitted by Omar's late father. A video published by the network showed people wearing HSI jackets at a property it identified as her residence.
The search does not establish wrongdoing by Omar. The publicly available information does not specify what agents sought, what they recovered or whether Omar herself is a target of the investigation.
Omar has repeatedly denied allegations concerning her immigration history. Neither her office nor the Justice Department, Department of Homeland Security or White House immediately responded to the Guardian's requests for comment on Monday's operation.
The Minnesota congresswoman has been a frequent target of President Donald Trump and senior administration officials, who have publicly discussed investigating her and potentially seeking to revoke her citizenship. Those statements preceded any public disclosure of evidence supporting criminal charges.
At a rally Saturday, Trump attacked Omar by name and said Vice President JD Vance "and our people are looking at it very strongly." He added: "Let's see what happens."
Vance had asserted in March that Omar committed immigration fraud and said he had discussed possible responses with White House adviser Stephen Miller. Omar rejected his allegations in May, saying she had not been notified of a formal investigation and accusing Republicans of using the claims for political attention.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said last month that an investigation was underway. Border czar Tom Homan subsequently declined to discuss an ongoing criminal inquiry, saying HSI should continue its work.
Much of the administration's earlier rhetoric concerned an unsubstantiated allegation that Omar's former husband was her brother and that their marriage was intended to secure immigration status. Omar has consistently denied that claim; Monday's reporting instead identified her father's immigration filings as an area investigators were examining.
The operation comes amid Omar's sustained criticism of the administration's immigration enforcement and treatment of immigrant communities. Its proximity to the election places the handling of the inquiry alongside a broader political dispute over federal investigations involving Trump's opponents.
Omar represents Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, which includes Minneapolis. Born in Somalia, she came to the United States as a refugee and became a naturalized citizen in 2000.
First elected in 2018, she entered Congress the following January alongside Rashida Tlaib as the first Muslim women to serve in the chamber. She later became a leading progressive voice and a member of the group known as the Squad.
