A series of private family text messages reportedly helped trigger the federal search of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C., home, marking a major development in an investigation into her family’s immigration history.
Federal investigators obtained messages from the phone of Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, earlier this year while examining allegations that the Minnesota congresswoman and members of her family may have misrepresented information when entering the United States, according to an October 16 report by The New York Times.
Three people familiar with the investigation told the newspaper that authorities used the messages to help persuade a federal judge to authorize the search of Omar’s residence on Monday, October 12.
The contents of the messages have not been publicly disclosed, and investigators have not explained what information they believe the texts reveal.
Agents with Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, carried out the search and removed electronic devices and documents from Omar’s home.
Among the items reportedly seized were her cellphone, passport, computers and personal notebooks.
The investigation centers on questions surrounding immigration paperwork submitted when Omar and her family arrived in the United States from Somalia in 1995.
Omar, who was 12 when her family immigrated, has said she became a naturalized American citizen in 2000 through her father, Nur Omar Mohamed.
Investigators are reportedly examining whether the family provided inaccurate information during the immigration process, including questions involving her late father’s background in Somalia.
However, authorities have not publicly established that Omar or her relatives committed immigration fraud, and the congresswoman has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.
The investigation has also involved requests for evidence from other family members.
According to The Associated Press, federal authorities have issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including some directed at Omar’s relatives.
The New York Post separately reported that investigators collected discarded material from Omar’s trash while seeking potential DNA evidence before the search. The purpose and significance of any such evidence have not been publicly confirmed.
Meanwhile, Noor, who lives in Kenya, canceled a scheduled appearance in Rochester, Minnesota, on Thursday, October 15, where she was expected to promote her memoir, “Salt in the Snow: A Somali Immigrant Story.”
The cancellation was attributed to a family emergency. Noor has not publicly explained whether her decision was directly related to the federal investigation.
The case has drawn national attention because of Omar’s prominent position in Congress and her long-running disputes with President Donald Trump.
Omar’s spokesperson, Jackie Rogers, accused the administration of pursuing a politically motivated investigation.
“This is politically motivated and an escalation of Trump’s personal vendetta against her lasting over a decade,” Rogers said.
The congresswoman’s attorneys have also demanded the immediate return of the property seized from her home.
In an October 16 letter to the Justice Department, her legal team argued that the search was unjustified and unlawful, maintaining that investigators had no legitimate grounds to question her citizenship.
The Justice Department rejected those allegations, saying its attorneys and law enforcement partners complied with applicable court orders and legal requirements.
The controversy comes just weeks before the November midterm elections, when Omar is seeking reelection.
The timing has raised questions about longstanding Justice Department practices discouraging public investigative actions involving political candidates close to an election.
Federal officials have maintained that the search was authorized by a judge and conducted as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
The case has also revived scrutiny of earlier inquiries into Omar’s immigration history. The Washington Post reported that federal officials examined similar allegations during Trump’s first administration in 2019 but did not uncover evidence warranting further action at that time.
A federal search warrant does not establish guilt, and Omar has not been publicly charged with a crime in connection with the current investigation.
The latest development leaves several important questions unresolved, including what investigators found on Noor’s phone, whether the seized materials will support criminal charges, and whether federal prosecutors will pursue further legal action.
For now, the investigation remains open, with Omar’s legal team challenging the government’s actions and federal authorities continuing to examine her family’s decades-old immigration records.
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Omar and every muslim Somalian needs to have all their asses confiscated and immediately deported. Omar should be executed as a traitor there’s an example