Washington: Federal agents searched the Minnesota residence of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday, prompting a sharp reaction from Democrats just ahead of the US midterm elections.
Ilhan Omar accused President Donald Trump of targeting her for political reasons. Meanwhile, senior Democrats questioned why the operation had taken place so close to the polls.
The authorities are silent on what they were looking for or the precise nature of the criminal investigation. The search comes after months of public allegations by Trump and senior administration officials concerning Omar's immigration history.
In a post on
“For ten 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 Office of Congresswoman Omar released the following statement:
“This raid by Trump's DHS is an outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies. For a decade, Donald Trump has relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Ilhan Omar with inflammatory rhetoric, repeatedly putting a target on her back. Now, those attacks have escalated to a pointless federal raid. The Congresswoman has done nothing wrong. No president should be able to use the power of the federal government to intimidate his political enemies.”
—Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) October 12, 2026
Democrats Question Timing
Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) carried out the search. The Justice Department said agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant in the Washington, DC, area as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation. The department did not provide further details.
Senior Democrats questioned the timing, with Omar seeking re-election in November. The Justice Department has historically sought to avoid overt investigative steps involving political candidates in the 60 days before an election.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other senior Democrats condemned the search operation in a joint statement.
“Now, less than 30 days until the midterm election, his violent mass deportation machine has descended upon the home of a duly elected Member of Congress and her family,” they said.
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Trump Administration Had Raised Immigration Allegations
The search follows repeated public remarks by officials about allegations of immigration fraud involving Omar. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said last month that an “ongoing investigation” was examining possible fraud in her family’s immigration paperwork.
Vice-President JD Vance has also accused Omar of immigration fraud, a charge she has denied. In May, Vance said the administration would investigate the allegations and pursue prosecution if it is established that a crime had been committed.
Trump also targeted Omar at a rally in Ohio on Monday, referring to her Somali origins. Later, when asked about the search, he told reporters he had “nothing to do” with it and said the matter was “really up to the DOJ.”
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Omar, A Target Of Republican Criticism
Omar was first elected to Congress in 2018 and represents Minnesota's 5th District, which includes Minneapolis. Born in Somalia, she came to the United States with her family as a refugee.
A prominent progressive lawmaker, she has frequently clashed with Trump and other Republicans. Allegations about her marriage and immigration status have circulated among conservative critics for years. Omar has rejected those claims, describing them as “disgusting lies”.
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With federal authorities yet to explain the scope of Monday's search, questions over the investigation and its timing have added another flashpoint to an already contentious election campaign.