Federal agents searched the Washington residence of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday, as confirmed by the Department of Justice (DoJ). The search was conducted by officials from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of US immigration enforcement. A DoJ spokesperson stated, "Today in the Washington, DC area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice." The statement did not specifically name Omar and described the action as part of an ongoing federal investigation.
Omar, who immigrated to the United States from Somalia as a child, has been a vocal critic of President Donald Trump since her election to Congress in 2018. She is a member of a group of progressive Democratic lawmakers known as "The Squad." Omar represents a district that includes Minneapolis, which has a significant Somali population. Trump has previously made derogatory comments about Somalis and has targeted Omar in his rhetoric.
In response to the search, House Democratic leaders condemned the action as an "abuse of power" by the Trump administration. Omar stated that she will “not be silenced” and described the search as the “latest escalation” in what she calls Trump’s intimidation campaign. She has previously expressed concerns about threats to her safety, attributing them to political rhetoric.
No charges against Omar were announced in connection with the search, but reports indicate that the operation is linked to a criminal fraud investigation regarding immigration paperwork submitted on her behalf by her late father when she was a child. The search occurs just weeks before the midterm elections, in which Republicans are defending their majorities in Congress.