Federal investigators seized Rep. Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN) passport, cellphone, computers and personal notebooks during a raid on her Washington, D.C., residence as the Trump administration examines whether the Minnesota Democrat unlawfully obtained American citizenship.
The October 12 search, carried out by Homeland Security Investigations agents, marks a significant escalation in a federal investigation that could ultimately lead to efforts to revoke Omar’s citizenship and deport her from the United States.
According to the New York Post, investigators are examining whether Omar or her late father, Nur Omar Mohamed, provided false information on immigration paperwork that allowed her to obtain citizenship in 2000.
The 44-year-old congresswoman has maintained that she automatically became an American citizen at age 17 when her father completed the naturalization process.
However, federal authorities are reportedly scrutinizing discrepancies involving her date of birth that could potentially undermine that account.
Some records identify Omar’s birthdate as October 4, 1981, while others list October 4, 1982.
The distinction could prove significant because Omar’s eligibility to obtain citizenship through her father depended partly on whether she was legally considered a minor when he became a citizen.
If the earlier birth year is accurate, investigators are examining whether Omar would have been ineligible to receive citizenship through that process.
Authorities are also investigating whether any discrepancies were deliberate rather than administrative errors.
During Monday’s operation, agents reportedly recovered Omar’s passport, electronic devices and notebooks.
Omar and her husband, political consultant Tim Mynett, were reportedly inside the residence when federal investigators executed the court-authorized search warrant.
The immigration investigation is being led by federal prosecutors in Minnesota, while a separate inquiry into the couple’s financial disclosures is being pursued by the office of Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
The New York Post also reported that more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas have been issued to Omar’s relatives, including her sister, Sahra Noor.
Investigators are seeking information concerning the family’s immigration history and documentation.
The scrutiny reportedly extends to efforts by Omar’s staff in 2019 to correct public records that identified her birth year as 1981 rather than 1982.
According to the report, staff members contacted the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library, the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress and Wikipedia seeking changes to those records.
The investigation could have substantial consequences if federal authorities establish that citizenship was obtained through deliberate fraud.
Federal defense attorney Todd Spodek explained that certain criminal immigration offenses are subject to statutes of limitations, while civil denaturalization proceedings generally do not face the same time restrictions.
A criminal conviction for knowingly procuring naturalization unlawfully can also require the revocation of citizenship under federal law.
However, removing Omar’s citizenship through civil proceedings would require the government to establish sufficient legal grounds in court.
No sitting or former member of Congress has previously been denaturalized, according to the report.
The Justice Department has expanded its pursuit of civil denaturalization cases during Trump’s second administration, filing nearly 200 cases since January 2025.
An analysis by Democracy Forward found that approximately 20 had concluded with defendants placed into deportation proceedings.
Omar’s office has rejected the investigation’s allegations.
“President Trump would love to eliminate one of the most effective progressive voices in Congress. There is no basis for this,” her office said in a statement.
Trump denied personally directing the investigation Monday while sharply criticizing the Minnesota Democrat, per the New York Post.
“Just a complainer,” Trump told reporters. “She comes from a country that is a non-country. And then she comes over here, and she complains about our Constitution.”
The investigation comes weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, when Omar is seeking another term in Congress.
Despite the expanding federal inquiry, Omar has not been charged with immigration fraud, and no court has ordered her citizenship revoked or authorized her deportation.
