Federal investigators are reportedly examining whether Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar misrepresented her age during the process that led to her becoming a United States citizen, in an investigation that could have serious consequences for the Democratic lawmaker if authorities establish evidence of fraud.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Homeland Security agents searched Omar’s Washington, DC, residence on Monday and seized her cellphone, notebooks, personal computers and passport. Investigators are also reportedly examining family immigration documents and have issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including requests involving some of Omar’s relatives.
The investigation comes just three weeks before the midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking re-election. Her office has rejected the allegations, describing the inquiry as politically motivated and insisting there is no basis for the case.
Investigators Examine Whether Omar Qualified for Citizenship Through Her Father
Omar was born in Mogadishu, Somalia, and later moved with her family to the United States. She became an American citizen in 2000 through her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, according to the account of her immigration history.
The central question for investigators is whether Omar was 17 or 18 when her father became a naturalised citizen. Under the rules relevant to the case, a child under 18 could qualify for citizenship through a parent’s naturalisation, while an adult would generally have to follow a separate immigration process.
Authorities are reportedly seeking family immigration records to establish whether Omar or her father changed her age on the relevant paperwork.
The distinction could prove significant. However, establishing a discrepancy in a birthdate would not, by itself, automatically establish that Omar committed fraud or justify stripping her of citizenship.
Justice Department Would Need Evidence to Revoke Citizenship
The reported investigation is focused on finding evidence that could support a legal challenge to Omar’s citizenship.
To revoke her citizenship through a federal court, the Justice Department would need to establish legally sufficient grounds, including evidence of a material misrepresentation connected to her naturalisation. The case would therefore depend on what investigators can prove about the original application and who, if anyone, supplied inaccurate information.
Leon Fresco, a former senior immigration official in the Justice Department under President Barack Obama, told the Wall Street Journal that the administration’s case hinges on finding material evidence that Omar herself lied about her age, rather than evidence that her father misrepresented it on her behalf.
The report also noted that a similar tip was examined by Homeland Security Investigations during the Biden administration. Officials reportedly decided not to pursue the matter at that time because they lacked evidence of fraud.
Omar Has Denied Wrongdoing and Her Office Challenges the Investigation
Omar has previously rejected claims that she improperly obtained citizenship. In September 2018, she said she became an American citizen through her father’s naturalisation before she turned 18.
Her congressional staff has also questioned the motives behind the latest investigation, arguing that it is an attempt to target a prominent progressive politician.
“President Trump would love to eliminate one of the most effective progressive voices in Congress,” her office said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal, adding that there was “no basis” for the investigation.
The allegations remain under investigation, and the reported search and subpoenas do not establish that Omar committed an offence.
Questions Over Omar’s Birth Year Resurface
The inquiry has also drawn attention to a change made to Omar’s birth year in official Minnesota records in 2019.
The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library had previously listed her date of birth as October 4, 1981, a date also carried by Wikipedia and media outlets, including the BBC.
Emails obtained by the New York Post reportedly show that Omar’s aides contacted the library in May 2019 to request a change to 1982. In one message sent days after the adjustment, the library’s director said Omar’s team had reported that her birth year was incorrect and asked for it to be amended.
The email also stated that her aides were seeking similar changes to her biographical information on Wikipedia and in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
The reported records change has become relevant to the wider questions surrounding her age. However, the change alone does not establish that the congresswoman made a false statement on her citizenship application.
Federal Prosecutors Also Investigate Financial Disclosures
The citizenship inquiry is unfolding alongside a separate examination of Omar’s financial disclosures.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced on Tuesday that her office was reviewing the congresswoman’s filings. Asked about the matter, Pirro told Fox News: “We’re looking at the facts.”
Omar’s 2025 financial disclosure initially listed assets worth between $6 million and $30 million jointly with her husband. She later amended the filing to report a substantially smaller range, attributing the original figures to accounting errors.
The House’s ethics watchdog had recommended dismissing allegations concerning the disclosures the previous month, according to the report. Omar’s office has cited that recommendation in defending her record.
Investigators have also reportedly issued grand jury subpoenas to Omar’s sister, Sahra Noor, and at least one other relative. Noor runs a Minneapolis-based consulting firm that says it has secured more than $20 million in funding for health initiatives and worked on projects supported by organisations including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the United States Agency for International Development.
The existence of subpoenas does not, on its own, indicate wrongdoing by the people who receive them.
Earlier Marriage Allegations Remain Part of the Controversy
Omar has faced other allegations over her personal history, including claims concerning her 2009 marriage to Ahmed Elmi.
A Somali community leader previously alleged to the Daily Mail that the marriage was intended to help Elmi obtain US immigration status. Omar has denied that Elmi was her brother and rejected claims that the marriage was fraudulent.
Those allegations are separate from the reported citizenship investigation, and the claims described in the report should not be treated as established findings.
Trump Denies Involvement in the Search
President Donald Trump denied having any role in the search of Omar’s home when questioned by reporters on Monday.
“I have nothing to do with it,” Trump said, adding that the matter was “really up to the DOJ.” He nevertheless described Omar as “totally crooked, personally.”
The investigation now centres on whether federal authorities can obtain evidence supporting allegations about Omar’s age and citizenship application, while prosecutors are also examining her financial disclosures.
For now, no finding described in the report establishes that Omar obtained citizenship unlawfully. Any attempt to revoke her citizenship would require the government to pursue the applicable legal process and substantiate its claims.
