A Homeland Security Investigations agent gets in a car outside the Washington, D.C., residence of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Monday morning.
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Luke Garrett/NPR
Federal agents searched the Washington, D.C., home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., on Monday morning.
The Department of Justice said in a statement to NPR that agents with Homeland Security Investigations “executed a judicially authorized search warrant.”
The warrant is part of an “ongoing federal criminal investigation,” according to the DOJ.
Details about the investigation were confirmed by current and former federal officials with knowledge of the search who were not authorized to speak publicly.
One current official said this search is part of a multi-year probe that includes whistleblower complaints. A former official, who had previously been briefed on the matter, said the investigation deals with immigration fraud allegations.
Vice President JD Vance has previously alleged that Omar committed immigration fraud — something she denies.
Omar is a U.S. citizen who previously fled Somalia as a refugee.
By Monday afternoon, the congresswoman criticized the search of her D.C. home on social media.
“Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement,” Omar posted on social media. “I will not be silenced.”
Federal agents walk away from the Washington, D.C., home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.
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Several HSI agents could be seen walking near and around Omar’s home on Monday.
Jackie Rogers, a spokesperson for the congresswoman, called the search an “outrageous abuse of power and an unprecedented escalation in the weaponization of federal law enforcement to target political enemies.”
Sharon Jackson, 79, lives across the street from the congresswoman and said federal agents woke her up around 4:30 a.m. Monday morning.
“I got awakened by boom, boom, boom,” Jackson said. “They were out here with a great big truck.”
The search took place ahead of next month’s midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking reelection.
The Department of Justice has had an internal rule that it shouldn’t publicly probe election officials or candidates within 60 days of Election Day. It’s meant to protect elections from a politicized use of law enforcement.
But the rule is not legally binding, and DOJ has in past years been inconsistent about it.
Senior DOJ leadership, including Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter, were consulted before the search and approved it, according to sources familiar but not authorized to discuss the case.
NPR’s Ryan Lucas contributed to this report.
