Federal investigators have seized Rep. Ilhan Omar's phone and issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to some of her relatives, as part of a widening criminal inquiry into the Minnesota Democrat's family immigration history, according to a person briefed on the investigation who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.
The subpoenas were issued by a grand jury sitting in Minnesota, which is gathering evidence on potential fraud in immigration paperwork filed decades ago by Omar's late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, when she was a child. The inquiry led federal agents to search Omar's Washington home on Monday under a judicially authorized warrant, just three weeks before the Nov. 3 midterm elections in which Omar is seeking re-election to Minnesota's 5th Congressional District.
The full scope of the investigation remains unclear. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said authorities are examining potential crimes tied to the family's immigration filings, while Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for the District of Columbia, told Fox News this week that "there are several investigations going on" involving Omar, including a separate look at her financial disclosures.
If there was a crime that was committed, it will be prosecuted.
Jeanine Pirro, US Attorney for the District of Columbia
Omar calls it political intimidation
Omar has not been charged with any offense and has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. In a statement posted to X, she described the search of her home as an "attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement."
For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.
Rep. Ilhan Omar
Congressional Democrats have condemned the timing of the search, arguing the Justice Department is pursuing a political opponent of the administration so close to an election that will decide control of the House and Senate. A representative for Omar did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the seizure of her phone or the subpoenas issued to her family members.
Omar, first elected in 2018, has long been a target of criticism from Trump and his allies over her immigration history and her outspoken opposition to his administration's policies. House Republicans have separately pursued their own records requests related to her office's past dealings, though those efforts are distinct from the criminal grand jury process now under way in Minnesota. With no charges filed and the investigation's scope still undisclosed, it remains unclear how quickly the inquiry will move — or whether it will reach a conclusion before voters in her district go to the polls next month.
