A raid on a lawmaker’s home is rare in American politics, and the aftermath is still unfolding. Al Jazeera, citing the Associated Press, reports that Ilhan Omar federal raid fallout has now reached her front door: the Minnesota congresswoman says she plans to move out of her Washington, DC home because she no longer feels safe there.
What Omar said about the search
In her first interview about the raid, with MS NOW on Wednesday, Omar said federal agents arrived around 6am with a warrant and searched for four or five hours. They took 17 items, including phones, notebooks, a Somali-language children’s book and a vintage camera her husband had received as a gift. She described the agents as intrusive but polite, and said they logged what they took and put everything else back.
The Justice Department says the search followed a judicially authorised warrant in an ongoing federal criminal investigation tied to alleged immigration fraud. NBC News, citing a person familiar with the matter, reported that possible charges could include conspiracy and false statements in immigration paperwork. Omar denies wrongdoing, says she is confident she did nothing wrong, and accuses the administration of political intimidation.
A story with a Somali thread
Omar was born in Somalia and came to the US with her family at 12 after receiving asylum. She became a citizen at 17, in 2000. She noted that indicting a 12-year-old for scheming to defraud immigration services would be a stretch. For years she has faced right-wing conspiracy theories about her immigration status, which she has called lies.
Earlier this week, President Donald Trump called her dishonest and insulted Somalia, her birthplace, and he has raised the idea of deporting her.
Timing and politics
The search came weeks before the November 3 midterm elections, and congressional Democrats condemned it and questioned the timing. The Justice Department has historically avoided overt moves involving candidates close to an election. Omar is running for re-election in a safely Democratic Minneapolis district and is expected to keep her seat. No charges have been filed.
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