Federal agents have escalated their investigation into Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, just weeks before her reelection. The Department of Justice subpoenaed relatives of Omar’s family members, following a raid on her Washington, D.C. residence. The investigation reportedly centers on Omar’s immigration paperwork, filed by her late father when she was a child. Multiple Trump administration officials have accused Omar of immigration fraud, though no evidence has been presented.
Omar has denied the allegations, calling the raid ‘political intimidation.’ President Trump and some MAGA Republicans have suggested revoking Omar’s citizenship through a process known as denaturalization. However, legal experts note that denaturalization is rare and requires federal authorities to meet a high legal standard. The process involves proving that a person obtained citizenship through fraud or willful misrepresentation.
Omar became a U.S. citizen in 2000 at age 17, after her family fled Somalia and sought asylum in the U.S. in 1995. The investigation focuses on whether her father lied about her age to make her eligible for citizenship. Even if denaturalization were successful, Omar could retain her previous legal immigration status until a final removal order is issued. Despite recent efforts, denaturalization remains uncommon, with an average of 11 cases filed per year between 1990 and 2017.