Federal Investigators Probed Rep. Ilhan Omar Over Alleged Marriage Fraud and Immigration History

Federal Investigators Found Evidence in 2016 Probe of Ilhan Omar’s Marriage

Federal investigators uncovered evidence that Rep. Ilhan Omar entered into a sham marriage with a man believed to be her brother during an FBI and Department of Homeland Security probe, according to The New York Post. The investigation into the Minnesota Democrat’s 2009 marriage to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi stalled after prosecutors concluded that any potential crime fell outside the five-year statute of limitations.

While the existence of the 2016 inquiry was previously reported by The New York Post in 2021, The New York Times detailed the findings as the Justice Department pursues a broader case. A source familiar with the closed probe told The New York Post that the “Biden US Attorney in Minnesota shut it down” shortly after taking office in 2021. Omar wed Elmi on February 12, 2009, but investigators determined the case would have needed charges by 2014 to stand up in court.

Expanding Scrutiny and Citizenship Inquiries

The current Justice Department investigation centers partly on whether Omar committed fraud when she became a United States citizen in 2000 by using a false name, an incorrect birth date, or due to complications surrounding her father’s legal status.

On October 12, federal authorities executed a search at Omar’s Washington, D.C., residence, confiscating electronic gear and additional items as authorities looked into whether she or relatives provided false details on citizenship and immigration paperwork. According to reports, authorities are currently examining whether Omar or her late father gave incorrect details regarding her age when the family pursued legal status following their departure from Somalia in the 1990s.

Disputed Timelines and Past Statements

Omar has consistently denied allegations that Elmi is her brother or that their marriage was arranged to secure immigration benefits, calling the claims a racist conspiracy theory. However, when MS NOW anchor Chris Hayes asked her point-blank if she married her brother, she answered, “Not to my knowledge.”

Federal Investigators Probed Rep. Ilhan Omar Over Alleged Marriage Fraud and Immigration History — Photo: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

The congresswoman slammed the ongoing investigation as an attempt “to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement” over “baseless lies and smear campaigns.”