Ilhan Omar’s Citizenship Target of Trump Admin’s Campaign
By Staff, Agencies
The Trump administration’s investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar [D., Minn.] is aimed at building a case to strip her of her US citizenship and ultimately deport her, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing US officials and other people familiar with the probe.
According to the WSJ, the multipronged effort is focused at least in part on how Omar obtained her citizenship after she arrived in the US from Somalia decades ago. The investigation is focused both on the congresswoman and the actions of her deceased father, some of the people familiar with the probe said.
Omar Mohamed brought his daughter and other family members to the US from a refugee camp in Kenya in 1995.
The Trump administration has intensified efforts to revoke the citizenship of naturalized Americans accused of providing false information during the naturalization process, launching dozens of legal cases in what has been described as an unprecedented campaign.
If the case against Omar moves forward, it could become the most prominent and contentious example of this initiative. Trump has repeatedly called for her deportation, making her a focal point for anti-immigration and anti-Muslim sentiment within the Republican Party.
On Monday evening, during an appearance in Ohio, members of the audience chanted “deport” after Trump mentioned Omar and other members of the Somali community. He then accused them of widespread dishonesty, declaring, “They cheat on everything,” and adding, “We’re not going to stand for it.”
Meanwhile, US federal investigators have seized Representative Ilhan Omar’s phone and sent more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, some addressed to her relatives, as authorities examine alleged irregularities in her immigration records, The Guardian reported, citing a person briefed on the case.
The subpoenas were issued in connection with "evidence" gathering by a grand jury in Minnesota, the source claimed. The person spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to disclose details of an active investigation, as per the report.
The federal inquiry also resulted in a search of Omar’s Washington, DC, residence on Monday, weeks before the November midterm elections. The Minnesota Democrat is running for another term in the House of Representatives.
Authorities have not publicly outlined the full extent of the case. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has indicated that investigators are looking into "possible violations" involving immigration documents connected to Omar’s family.
Speaking to Fox News on Tuesday, Pirro said “there are several investigations going on” related to the congresswoman and disclosed that her office was reviewing matters involving her financial disclosures.
“If there was a crime that was committed, it will be prosecuted,” Pirro said.
The search of the congresswoman’s residence prompted objections from Democrats, who questioned the operation’s timing and accused the administration of using federal law enforcement against a political opponent.
Omar responded in a statement on X, calling the search an “attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement."
“For 10 years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation,” she said. “I will not be silenced.”
The investigation has become public shortly before the November elections, when voters will decide which party controls both chambers of Congress. The Justice Department has traditionally sought to avoid public investigative measures involving election candidates during the 60 days preceding a primary or general election.
