Agents seize Rep. Ilhan Omar’s phone, issue subpoenas in immigration probe
by Mary McCue Bell · The Washington TimesFederal agents have issued over a dozen grand jury subpoenas as part of an ongoing criminal investigation into Rep. Ilhan Omar, a source familiar with the matter told The Washington Times.
Homeland Security Investigations agents searched the Minnesota Democrat’s home in the District on Monday under a judicially authorized warrant, the Justice Department said.
Her phone was also seized during the search, according to multiple reports.
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The grand jury subpoenas include one for members of Ms. Omar’s family, the source told The Times.
A federal grand jury in Minnesota is collecting evidence regarding potential fraud connected to her family’s immigration paperwork, including documents her late father completed when she was a child.
She came to the U.S. as a Somalian refugee at age 12.
The probe also reportedly includes Ms. Omar’s birthdate, and investigators are examining whether records about her age and immigration status contain false information.
She became a naturalized citizen when she was 17 years old, after her father completed his naturalization process.
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Investigators have issued over a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to members of her family.
The Justice Department said the search was part of “an ongoing federal criminal investigation” but has not detailed what it is examining.
Possible charges include conspiracy and making false statements in immigration paperwork, NBC News reported.
Ms. Omar denies wrongdoing and characterized the investigation as a “Trump’s personal vendetta.”
“He has lied about her family, about her immigration history, and about her love of this country. But the truth is that Trump’s push to strip her of her citizenship and deport her has no basis in the law and has no precedent,” her office said in a statement. “This isn’t a legitimate law enforcement action – it is an authoritarian move to silence an opponent right before an election where he and his party will be rejected by Americans in historic proportions.”
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Ms. Omar denies wrongdoing and characterized the investigation as the Trump administration weaponizing federal law enforcement to target a political opponent.
President Trump said he was not involved in the raid.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in September said federal action against Ms. Omar was in the works, saying, “Something’s going to happen.”
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said Tuesday on Fox News that “several investigations” related to Ms. Omar are underway, including her office’s inquiry into the lawmaker’s finances.
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A congressional financial disclosure in April suggested that the lawmaker is a millionaire, but Ms. Omar’s office attributed the discrepancy to an accounting error.
The raid happened just weeks before the Nov. 3 elections in which Ms. Omaris is heavily favored to win reelection in her Minneapolis-area district.
Still, the raid falls within the period when the Justice Department has traditionally avoided overt actions that could affect an election.
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Mary McCue Bell
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