Federal prosecutors issued about a dozen subpoenas to relatives of the Minnesota congresswoman in an inquiry into her family’s immigration records.
Federal prosecutors have issued grand jury subpoenas to multiple relatives of Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar as part of a criminal investigation examining her family’s immigration history, CBS News reported. The orders were sent on Friday, shortly before federal agents searched the congresswoman’s residence.
The subpoenas followed an early Monday morning search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home in Washington, D.C., where Homeland Security investigators executed a warrant weeks ahead of the upcoming midterm elections.
Grand jury demands tied to immigration inquiry
The Department of Justice issued about a dozen subpoenas connected to a federal grand jury in Minnesota, NBC News reported. Omar was not subpoenaed herself, though authorities are seeking information from members of her family and are attempting to speak with her sister.
Investigators are scrutinizing matters surrounding Omar’s immigration records, including representations about her birthdate and age. Born in Somalia, Omar moved to the United States with her family during the 1990s and received naturalized citizenship as a juvenile at age 17 through a parent. Federal officials are reviewing whether past records, age declarations, or communications contain false statements. The inquiry is led by Homeland Security Investigations alongside the Justice Department and the U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis, drawing on witness testimony, documents, and whistleblowers.
Some of the paperwork under review dates back to Omar’s childhood and was completed by her late father, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Scrutiny over timing and search warrant rules
The decision to issue subpoenas and execute a residential search close to an election has drawn scrutiny under internal Justice Department rules. Official department policy directs prosecutors and agents never to time legal actions to influence an election or help any political candidate. Under a long-standing unwritten custom known as the 60-day rule, the department generally avoids public investigative steps or candidate indictments within two months of voting.
The Public Integrity Section, which reviews sensitive political matters, was consulted about the probe. That office was reduced during the past year to two remaining lawyers, leaving unclear what advice it gave leadership. Attorney General Todd Blanche was aware of the home search beforehand.
A federal magistrate judge in Washington approved the residential search warrant only after discussions over legislative protections. The judge required investigators to include screening protocols based on the 2007 Rayburn House Office Building court decision, which gives sitting members of Congress the opportunity to review seized records for legislative privilege under the Constitution before executive branch agents can inspect them.
Reactions and an additional business inquiry
Omar rejected the allegations and strongly condemned the actions taken by federal authorities. “Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement,” Omar said in a statement on X, adding that she would not be silenced.
President Trump claimed on Monday that he had “nothing to do with” the search of Omar’s home, but said federal authorities were examining her very carefully. In public appearances, including a speech to supporters in Ohio, Trump continued his verbal attacks against the congresswoman and Somalia.
The immigration probe represents one of two active federal investigations involving the congresswoman’s household. The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington is conducting a criminal inquiry into the valuation of businesses run by Omar’s husband, Tim Mynett. That investigation, confirmed publicly by D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, centers on congressional disclosure filings where reported business valuations shifted from tens of millions of dollars down to under $100,000, a change Omar attributed to an accounting error.
