Federal immigration officials reviewed Rep. Ilhan Omar’s records in 2019 and found insufficient evidence to pursue a full investigation, The Washington Post reported Thursday, as the Trump administration investigates some of the same allegations again.
Three former immigration officials told the newspaper that the earlier review considered Omar’s birth date and her late father’s military history in Somalia. One official familiar with that effort said it found no issue with her citizenship.
“I think her citizenship is solid and there wasn’t any fraud there.”
Former immigration official, speaking to The Washington Post
The renewed investigation became public Monday when federal agents searched the Minnesota Democrat’s Washington home. Investigators are examining whether Omar or her father provided false information on immigration paperwork used to obtain legal status and eventual citizenship.
Omar has rejected the allegations and accused the administration of using federal law enforcement against political opponents.
“This is politically motivated and an escalation of Trump’s personal vendetta against her lasting over a decade,” her spokesperson said in a statement Thursday quoted by the Post.
The Justice Department told the newspaper it does not comment on ongoing investigations. The Department of Homeland Security referred questions to Justice.
The 2019 review
The 2019 review began after a political appointee in Trump’s first administration asked immigration authorities to examine Omar’s records for evidence of fraud. Career staff members considered the request highly unusual because it concerned a sitting member of Congress who was a prominent critic of the president, former officials told the Post.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services examined Omar’s background, including her family’s history as Somali refugees and unsubstantiated allegations concerning her former marriage.
Officials also considered questions about her age. One former official said the agency could not reliably resolve those questions because refugees often come from countries where birth records are incomplete or unavailable.
The agency reviewed her father’s immigration file and found no issues, that official said. An officer summarized the findings in a one-page memo distributed in person because of the matter’s sensitivity.
Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ultimately determined there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing. Plans for a full investigation were abandoned, according to the report.
The renewed investigation
Investigators now are examining whether Omar or her father, Nur Omar Mohamed, deliberately misstated her birth date so she could acquire citizenship through him as a minor when he became a citizen in 2000. They are also reviewing whether he concealed military service in Somalia that could have affected his eligibility for legal status.
The Post based its account of the earlier review and current investigation on interviews with a dozen people, many speaking anonymously about nonpublic matters.
Several current and former officials questioned the scope, tactics and motivations of the renewed inquiry, the newspaper reported.
Before Monday’s search, prosecutors spent days addressing a federal judge’s concerns about constitutional protections for congressional work. U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh approved the warrant after imposing conditions intended to protect legislative material under the Constitution’s Speech or Debate Clause, according to people familiar with the matter cited by the Post.
Agents took boxes of documents, Omar’s cellphone and her passport, the newspaper reported. Authorities have also issued more than a dozen subpoenas, including some to her siblings, seeking testimony before a Minneapolis grand jury.
Trump criticized Omar again this week but denied involvement in the investigation.
“But that’s really up to the DOJ,” he told reporters. “I have nothing to do with it.”
Separate financial inquiry
Separately, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Tuesday that her office was investigating Omar’s personal finances in connection with congressional disclosure statements. Federal prosecutors had also examined her finances during the Biden administration, the Post reported, though it was unclear why that effort appeared to stall.
Possible next steps
The administration is also considering whether to cancel Omar’s citizenship certificate if the immigration inquiry does not produce criminal charges or a conviction, a senior administration official told the newspaper.
Canceling the certificate would not itself end her citizenship. The Post reported that such a move could complicate her access to government documents and would likely face a court challenge.
The report did not establish whether investigators have uncovered new evidence that would change the findings of the 2019 review.
