Ilhan Omar’s attorneys say federal search of her home was ‘neither justified nor lawful’
Minnesota lawmaker’s attorneys asked for return of seized items and the preservation of any recordings of search Ilhan Omar’s attorneys have asked the US Department of Justice to return property that federal agents removed days earlier from her home during a search. The lawyers for the Minnesota Democrat contended that the seizure as “neither justified nor lawful”, according to a letter that the Associated Press…
Key points
- Ilhan Omar's lawyers say the federal search of her home was unjustified and unlawful.
- The Justice Department says the letter is full of false allegations and inaccuracies.
- The investigation began weeks before the 3 November midterms, in which Omar is on the ballot.
Attorneys for US Representative Ilhan Omar have asked the Justice Department to return property seized from her home during a federal search and to preserve any recordings made during it. In a letter reported by the Associated Press on Friday, the lawyers called the seizure "neither justified nor lawful."
The search took place on Monday. The investigation into the Minnesota Democrat was launched weeks before the 3 November midterms, in which Omar is on the ballot. Democrats accused Donald Trump of abusing his power to target a political opponent.
Claims in the lawyers' letter
Omar's attorneys wrote that there is no legitimate basis for suggesting she violated any law about her citizenship status, according to the Wall Street Journal. They called the investigation "vindictive, retributive, and politically motivated" and said it violates her constitutional rights and threatens the separation of powers.
The letter also accused the Justice Department of breaking its policy aimed at avoiding influence on an election, and raised concerns about whether investigators followed the magistrate judge's instructions. The government has issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to Omar's relatives, and seized her phone.
I'm ok
— Ilhan Omar
Justice Department response
A Justice Department spokesperson, Emily Covington, said the letter was "riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies," according to the AP. She said attorneys and law enforcement partners complied with all court orders and legal obligations.
The investigation follows years of unsubstantiated rumors, promoted by Trump and conservative media, that Omar's ex-husband is her brother and that she married him for immigration status. Omar has denied the allegation. Fox News reported, citing sources close to the investigation, that the search concerned a criminal fraud inquiry into her immigration paperwork, which her father filled out when she was a child.
Reaction from Omar and Trump
After the raid, Omar posted on X: "I'm ok." She said the search was an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement, and called it the latest escalation in a campaign of political intimidation.
Trump denied being involved in the investigation. "I've always found her to be totally crooked, personally, but that has nothing to do with me," he said.
