Federal Agents Search Home of Representative Ilhan Omar in Criminal Investigation

Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday morning as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, the Justice Department confirmed.

Homeland Security Investigations officers executed a judicially authorised search warrant secured by the department. The Justice Department said the action formed part of a federal criminal investigation but gave no further details on its scope. Neighbours reported activity beginning around 4:30 a.m., and agents were later seen removing boxes from the property.

Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota, posted on X that she was unharmed and that the search was “an attempt to target political enemies and weaponise federal law enforcement.” She wrote that Trump had targeted her with “baseless lies and smear campaigns” for a decade and that she would not be silenced.

The search occurred less than 30 days before the midterm elections. The Justice Department has historically avoided such steps against political candidates so close to voting. House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar called the action deeply disturbing and said it raised questions about the use of federal power against Trump’s adversaries.

The investigation has been described by people familiar with it as multi-year and involving whistleblowers, documents and witness testimony. It has included questions about immigration paperwork filed by Omar’s late father when she arrived in the United States as a child, as well as broader inquiries into finances and campaign funds. Vice President JD Vance has previously accused Omar of immigration fraud, an allegation she has denied. Border czar Tom Homan confirmed that a search warrant had been executed and said the Justice Department was leading the matter.

Omar has been a frequent target of Trump administration criticism. Two days before the search, Trump referred to her at a rally in Tennessee in pejorative terms and suggested that Vance and others were looking into her. The congresswoman is a US citizen and has represented Minnesota’s 5th district since 2019.

The Justice Department statement did not name Omar or specify the charges under examination. Agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the criminal investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, carried out the search. The street around the home was blocked while the operation continued.

Democratic members of Congress said the timing and the target suggested political motives. Republican officials and Trump allies have long questioned Omar’s eligibility and finances. No charges have been announced.

The episode adds a new element to an already tense midterm campaign season in which control of both chambers of Congress is at stake. Omar is seeking re-election. The outcome of the investigation, and any documents seized, will determine whether the search produces formal charges or remains an investigative step.