Ilhan Omar Says Home Search Was Meant to Intimidate Her
Representative Ilhan Omar says federal agents took 17 items from her home during a search she believes was meant to unsettle her. The Minnesota Democrat also rejected claims that she committed immigration fraud, calling the accusations false.
Omar Denies Immigration Claims
Omar discussed the search and the accusations against her in her first interview since agents went to her home. She said claims about her marriage and immigration paperwork have spread among people who support President Donald Trump.
One rumor accused Omar of marrying her brother. She said the claim first appeared on a Somali-language blog before gaining attention among conspiracy theorists in Minneapolis. Omar denied the allegations and said she believes the search was intended to satisfy Trump’s supporters.
“They kept alluding to the fact that something was going to happen to me,” Omar said. She believes the government needed to show Trump loyalists that agents had searched her home.
How the Search Unfolded
Omar said about 10 to 15 agents from Homeland Security Investigations arrived at her home at 6 a.m. They knocked hard on the door and then carried out a search under a warrant.
She said the agents searched the home room by room for nearly five hours. They took 17 items, including several phones.
Omar questioned why agents would arrive so early in the morning if they were not trying to frighten her. She said the timing and length of the search made her feel the action was meant to intimidate her, not simply gather items.
Her account describes the search from her point of view. The information provided does not explain what evidence investigators were seeking or what they plan to do with the items they took.
A Long Dispute With Trump
The search has added to a years-long conflict between Omar and Trump. He has repeatedly attacked her character, religion and Somali background.
Trump was asked whether Omar could be deported over alleged errors in her immigration paperwork. He said she might face deportation or jail. Omar’s comments came as accusations against her continued to draw public attention.
The claims about Omar’s marriage and immigration records remain allegations in the account of the dispute. Omar has denied wrongdoing. The described interview does not establish that she committed fraud or that she faces a specific legal outcome.
Omar Says She Will Stay in Congress
Omar said her opponents would like to see her jailed or deported. But she believes their larger goal may be to make her tired of the conflict and persuade her to leave the country.
She rejected that idea, saying she has the legal right to serve as a member of Congress. Her message was that the accusations and the search would not make her give up her seat.
The central issues remain sharply disputed:
- Omar denies the immigration-fraud allegations.
- She says agents searched her home for nearly five hours and took 17 items.
- She believes the early-morning search was meant to intimidate her and appeal to Trump’s supporters.
- She says she intends to remain in Congress.
The search marks a serious new moment in the conflict between Omar and Trump. Omar has portrayed it as an effort to frighten her and push her out of public life. She says she will continue serving despite the accusations and the search of her home.