Federal Agents Search Ilhan Omar's Washington Area Home

Federal agents searched the Washington-area home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, on Monday under a court-approved warrant tied to a federal criminal investigation. Three people briefed on the operation said the search took place 22 days before Election Day and involved potential violations of immigration law.

The warrant identifies suspected immigration-related offenses, including false statements and fraud involving immigration paperwork, along with a general conspiracy charge, according to a person familiar with the document. The search followed months of scrutiny by federal officials over the immigration paperwork of Omar's family. A Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations agents, a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, conducted the search.

She described it as part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation but declined to provide additional details.

The three people who disclosed the search spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the operation publicly. The source material did not establish whether the search resulted in any charges or arrests.

Federal scrutiny of Omar has extended beyond her family's immigration records. As The New York Times previously reported, some investigators have also sought to examine her finances, campaign funds and interactions with a foreign citizen. The search marks a significant investigative step involving a sitting member of Congress shortly before a national election. The warrant's timing places the operation within the final weeks of the election campaign, although the available information does not establish whether the investigation is connected to her congressional duties or campaign activities.

The Department of Homeland Security had said in recent months that it was investigating Omar over her family's immigration paperwork. The latest search was authorized by a court, according to the people familiar with the matter and the Justice Department's confirmation that agents executed a judicially authorized warrant. Omar's office had not immediately responded to requests for comment sent by email and text message on Monday morning, according to the source report. No further details about the evidence sought during the search were provided.