Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) returned to Capitol Hill after winning re-election and promptly told Fox News that she has no idea why the federal government is investigating her. That’s a fun thing to admit out loud.
When a reporter asked whether federal agencies had explained the basis for the ongoing probes, Omar replied, “No, no.” Asked whether the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice were each investigating her independently, she said, “I’m not sure,” then added, “You probably have more details on that.” So the journalist covering her knows more about her federal investigations than she does. Comforting.
Omar made those remarks after spending roughly two hours in her office with attorneys Amy Jeffress and Joshua Matz earlier the same day. Her team did not respond when Fox News asked about that meeting, which is a perfectly normal thing that totally innocent people do all the time. Ilhan Omar federal investigation details
There are at least two separate federal investigations running right now. The first, run by Homeland Security Investigations under DHS, looks at whether Omar or her late father submitted fraudulent immigration paperwork. Agents executed a search warrant at her Washington, D.C., residence on October 12 and walked out with her cellphone, passport, computer, and a DNA sample. Omar says most of those items have been returned, telling reporters, “I’ve gotten most of them back.” Progress, we suppose.
Federal court filings have identified Omar under the name “Ilhan Nur Said Elmi,” which matches the surname of her former husband, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi. Reports and opponents have long alleged that man is her brother. Omar arrived in the United States in 1995 as a refugee. When MSNBC’s Chris Hayes asked her in October whether she had any familial tie to that person, she answered, “Not to my knowledge.” An Obama-era inquiry examined related marriage-fraud allegations, found some evidence, and then closed in part because of the statute of limitations. The Obama DOJ, folks.
The second probe was confirmed by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro and focuses on Omar’s financial disclosures. Those filings listed assets connected to her husband’s businesses at values ranging as high as $6 million to $30 million in a single year. An amended disclosure later revised that range down to roughly $18,000 to $95,000. That is quite a rounding error. Pirro has stated clearly that “if there was a crime that was committed, it will be prosecuted.” The House Office of Congressional Conduct recommended dismissal of related misconduct allegations, finding no substantial reason to believe she filed false information. Pirro’s office is looking at the disclosures independently of the immigration matter.
Worth noting: the financial disclosure probe was reportedly initiated under the Biden-led Justice Department in 2024, according to the New York Times. Federal investigators have issued multiple subpoenas, including at least one presented to Omar’s sister. No charges have been filed as of this report, and Omar has denied any wrongdoing.
Omar is now entering her fifth term in Congress, which means Minnesota’s 5th District keeps sending her back while two federal agencies dig through her records. She’ll be lawyered up and in committee hearings all at once. If she figures out what the investigations are actually about, she might consider sharing that information with the rest of the class.
