Federal Agents Search Ilhan Omar's Washington Home in Criminal Probe

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12 — Homeland Security Investigations agents searched the Washington-area home of Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday under a judicially authorized warrant secured by the Justice Department, people familiar with the matter said.

The Justice Department confirmed that HSI agents executed the warrant in the Washington, D.C., area as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. It did not name the subject or detail the allegations. Multiple outlets reported that the search concerned Omar, a Democrat from Minnesota who has been a frequent critic of the administration's immigration policies.

Border czar Tom Homan said last month that Omar was under criminal investigation, without specifying the scope. Reports have linked the probe to immigration paperwork filed by her late father when she arrived in the United States as a child refugee from Somalia. Other accounts have mentioned questions about finances and campaign matters. Omar has previously denied allegations of immigration fraud.

The search occurred inside the traditional 60-day window before an election during which the Justice Department has historically avoided overt investigative steps involving candidates. Midterm elections are set for 3 November. Omar's office did not immediately comment. The street near the residence was blocked while agents were present.

Omar fled Somalia's civil war with her family in the 1990s and became a naturalized citizen at age 17. She has served in Congress since 2019. President Trump has repeatedly criticised her and Minnesota's Somali community. In January he wrote that the Justice Department and Congress were examining her financial disclosures after an accounting issue involving her husband's assets.

The use of Homeland Security Investigations rather than the FBI is consistent with probes involving immigration documentation. HSI is the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security. The warrant was obtained through the Justice Department, indicating coordination between the two agencies.

No charges have been announced. The timing has drawn attention because of the proximity to the election and Omar's high profile as a progressive voice. Previous administrations have treated the 60-day period as a guideline rather than a strict rule, particularly when public safety or ongoing investigations are cited.

Whether the search yields evidence that leads to further action will become clear only after investigators complete their review of materials seized. For now, the operation stands as a concrete step in a probe that has been referenced publicly for months but had not previously produced a visible enforcement action at a member of Congress's residence.