The case surrounding Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) is getting more interesting by the day, as evidenced by a newly disclosed court filing from the Justice Department.
A newly released Justice Department court filing is raising fresh questions about Rep. Ilhan Omar after federal prosecutors identified the Minnesota Democrat as “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi” while listing the name she publicly uses as an alias.
The October 21 filing, submitted in federal court in Washington, refers to the subject of an ongoing search warrant as “Congresswoman Ilhan Nur Said Elmi, a/k/a Ilhan Abdullahi Omar.” The government offered no explanation for the unusual designation, and the filing does not establish that Omar’s publicly used name is false or that she improperly used another identity.
The reference is attracting attention because “Elmi” is also the surname of Omar’s former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, whom she legally married in 2009 before the couple eventually divorced in 2017. Omar’s 2017 Minnesota divorce judgment identifies her as “Ilhan Abdullahi Omar” and Elmi as “Ahmed Nur Said Elmi,” showing that Omar was using her familiar name in state court records at that time.
Omar has faced years of allegations that Elmi was actually her brother and that their marriage was connected to an immigration scheme, accusations she has repeatedly denied and which have not been established in court.
The Justice Department filing does not say that prosecutors believe those allegations are true, nor does it explain whether “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi” represents a former married name, a name appearing in immigration records or another investigative designation.
The filing surfaced as prosecutors responded to efforts by media organizations and Judicial Watch to obtain sealed records connected to the October 12 search of Omar’s Washington residence.
Fourteen news organizations, The New York Times Company and Judicial Watch have filed applications seeking access to records surrounding the search warrant. But the Justice Department asked the court to postpone its response until the warrant has been “fully executed,” indicating that investigative work connected with the warrant remains unfinished.
Prosecutors proposed updating the court within 30 days after the warrant’s execution is completed and then discussing a timetable for responding to the requests for public access.
Federal investigators are examining allegations involving Omar’s immigration history, including records connected with her arrival in the United States and subsequent citizenship, while Omar has denied committing immigration fraud.
The investigation has intensified since federal agents searched Omar’s residence, with investigators reportedly examining records and communications involving members of her family.
The New York Times reported that investigators had previously obtained a cellphone belonging to Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, and that family text messages were among the evidence used to support the application to search Omar’s residence.
Separately, the New York Post reported that investigators possess DNA evidence they believe could be relevant to the investigation, although no publicly released DNA results have established that Omar and Elmi are siblings.
Omar addressed that allegation Wednesday during an interview with MS NOW’s Chris Hayes, calling the calling the claim that she married her brother “insane.” When Hayes directly asked whether she and Elmi were related, however, Omar actually answered, “Not to my knowledge.” Just…wow.
