Federal agents searched the home of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar in Washington on Monday amid an ongoing investigation of her immigration history – a search that comes three weeks before Omar is set to face voters on Election Day.
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The search is part of an ongoing federal probe conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. attorney in Minneapolis and the Justice Department. Omar and President Donald Trump are longtime foes, and Vice President JD Vance has accused her of immigration fraud – an allegation she has denied.
The search happened early Monday while Omar’s two children and husband were in the home. Homeland Security Investigation agents were seen removing boxes for roughly five hours.
Here is what to know about the search.
Why Is She Being Investigated?
Omar, who is running for reelection to the House, was born in Somalia and became a U.S. citizen in 2000 at age 17 after seeking asylum in the country. Federal officials opened an investigation in December 2025 amid accusations of immigration fraud, which occurs when a person lies to U.S. government officials to secure an immigration document they would not otherwise be eligible for.
Earlier this year, Trump said the Justice Department and Congress were “looking” at Omar.
Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin suggested he was looking for fraud in her family’s immigration paperwork, according to The Associated Press.
Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security, is conducting the investigation.
Trump has a history of targeting Somali immigrants in Minnesota and last week urged Minnesotans to “fight back” against them.
“The once Great State of Minnesota is being taken over by Somali Immigrants. There is Violence, Murder, and Mayhem all over the State,” Trump wrote on social media on Oct. 8.
What Has Been the Response?
When asked about the search on Monday, Trump pointed to the Justice Department.
“I’ve always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me,” Trump said. “I think she’s a terrible person, but that’s really up to the DOJ.”
Late Monday night at a rally for Republican candidates in Youngstown, Ohio, Trump continued to throw insults at Omar.
“She comes in from a country without laws, without police, without military, where all they do is shoot each other,” Trump said. “She’s telling us about the Constitution, and she comes from one of the worst countries anywhere on the planet.”
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In a social media post on Monday, Omar responded to the search, calling it “an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other top congressional Democrats issued a joint statement in support of Omar.
“For years, Donald Trump and far-right extremists have relentlessly targeted Congresswoman Omar with vile personal attacks and baseless accusations,” the statement said. “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.”
Are These Searches Rare?
Searches of lawmakers’ homes have happened before but are uncommon.
Federal agents executed a warrant at the New Jersey home of then-Sen. Robert Menendez in June 2022. The search uncovered gold bars and hundreds of thousands of dollars in the Democratic senator’s home, leading to a federal indictment on bribery, corruption and foreign influence charges.
Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar’s Texas home was searched in January 2022 as part of a federal grand jury investigation into a network of U.S. businessmen and their ties to the former Soviet republic of Azerbaijan.
The Justice Department said in a statement that agents executed a “judicially authorized search warrant.”
However, the timing of the search is unusual. The move by the Justice Department comes three weeks before the midterms, breaking the long-standing unwritten practice of holding off pursuing major investigations involving candidates within 60 days of an election. While it is not always followed, it is meant to keep federal agents from influencing elections.
What Happens Next?
The investigation is unlikely to have a major impact on Omar’s campaign as she seeks reelection in a deep blue district.
It is unclear what authorities’ next steps are or what officials will do with the items gathered from Omar’s residence. With the election 21 days away, Republican attacks are likely to continue.
“For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns,” Omar said in her social media post. “This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation. I will not be silenced.”
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