Ilhan Omar says she ‘will not be silenced’ after federal agents raid her home
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The Minnesota congresswoman called the search politically motivated as investigators examined allegations concerning her immigration history.
Federal agents searched Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on Monday, October 12, prompting the Minnesota Democrat to accuse President Donald Trump’s administration of using federal law enforcement to intimidate political opponents just weeks before the midterm elections.
According to the Associated Press, agents with Homeland Security Investigations, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), executed a search warrant at Omar’s residence as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation.
The Department of Justice confirmed the search in a statement but declined to provide details about the investigation.
“Today in the Washington, DC area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation,” a DOJ spokesperson said, according to The Guardian.
Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, responded on social media, describing the raid as an attempt to target Trump’s political enemies.
“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,” Omar wrote. “I will not be silenced.”
I’m ok. Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement. 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. I will not be silenced.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) October 12, 2026
The search reportedly centers on allegations involving Omar’s immigration history. Reuters, citing a person familiar with the investigation, reported that federal authorities are examining immigration paperwork completed by Omar’s late father when she was a child.
Omar, who was born in Somalia and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000, has repeatedly denied allegations of immigration fraud.
Trump and members of his administration have publicly questioned Omar’s immigration history for years. As recently as Saturday, the president referenced the congresswoman during a rally in Tennessee and suggested that Vice President JD Vance and other officials were investigating her.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin also referenced an ongoing investigation last month, suggesting that authorities were examining whether Omar’s family had committed immigration fraud.
The timing of Monday’s search has raised concerns among Democratic leaders, particularly because Omar is seeking reelection in the Nov. 3 midterms.
The Justice Department has historically avoided taking overt investigative steps involving political candidates in the weeks immediately preceding an election to prevent the appearance of political interference.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries joined fellow Democratic leaders Katherine Clark and Pete Aguilar in condemning the raid.
“The Trump administration’s raid on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s home is deeply disturbing and raises serious questions about the continued corrupt weaponization of the federal government against [the president’s] adversaries,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz also criticized the administration, accusing Trump of using his power to pursue political opponents ahead of the election.
Omar, one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and the first African refugee to serve in the House of Representatives, has frequently been the target of Trump’s rhetoric.
The congresswoman has also spoken publicly about threats to her safety. Earlier this year, she was assaulted during a town hall meeting in Minneapolis when a man sprayed her with a substance later identified as vinegar.
Federal authorities have not publicly disclosed whether Omar faces any criminal charges in connection with the investigation.