FBI raids Ilhan Omar home in fraud probe

The sealed search warrant cited conspiracy, false statements on immigration documents, and immigration fraud as potential crimes under investigation. Agents seized Omar's personal cellphone during the search, and federal prosecutors have issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including at least one to a family member.

One source involved in the investigation said a possible objective of the probe may be to revoke Omar's U.S. citizenship and deport her, an idea that has been floated by the current administration. The warrants are connected to the activity of a federal grand jury in Minnesota, the state Omar represents in the House.

The congresswoman has strongly denied any wrongdoing regarding her immigration status or documents. She described the sudden raid as a direct act of "political intimidation," emphasizing the focus on a left-wing member of Congress exactly three weeks before an election in which she is running to keep her seat.

While the Department of Homeland Security referred all questions to the Justice Department, a Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on details of the ongoing investigation. The spokesman did, however, issue an official statement declaring that American citizenship "must be obtained lawfully and honestly," adding that the administration will investigate any case where the facts support denaturalization.

Former immigration officials have noted publicly that denaturalization investigations are historically rare and almost never involve search warrants, since the government typically already holds all relevant immigration records. Carrie Doyle, former deputy general counsel at the Department of Homeland Security, explained: "Most of the denaturalization cases we dealt with involved very serious violations of international human rights, or very serious crimes, such as Nazi war criminals."

The timing and nature of the investigation have drawn sharp criticism, as the Justice Department has traditionally avoided overt investigative actions against political figures within sixty days of an election. President Donald Trump has frequently attacked Omar's origins and her Muslim faith. When asked by the New York Times in January whether he thought she should lose her citizenship, Trump replied: "Oh, definitely."

Homeland Security Secretary Marquayne Mullin also recently hinted at the possibility of deportation, telling a podcaster there may have been "some illegal activity to get them into the United States in the first place." While a coalition of news organizations is working to unseal the search records, the unprecedented case continues to raise significant legal and constitutional questions about the political use of the justice system and the protections afforded to sitting members of Congress.

The investigation is being conducted jointly by the Homeland Security Investigations unit, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minneapolis, and the U.S. Department of Justice. According to one source cited in reports, investigators are relying on information provided by whistleblowers. No indictments have been filed in the case at this stage, and the investigation has not yet concluded.