World

Omar Investigation Centers on Alleged Marriage Fraud and Citizenship Claims

By Sounak Mukhopadhyay

U.S. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar is under investigation for alleged immigration fraud and citizenship irregularities. The probe focuses on claims that she married her brother, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, in 2009 to obtain a green card. Omar has denied the allegations and her lawyers argue she did not violate citizenship laws. Federal prosecutors reportedly obtained DNA during the investigation, though it is unclear whose samples were used or what the results show. Elmi applied for a marriage‑based green card but withdrew the application in 2019, and immigration officials sought additional evidence about the marriage. Omar and Elmi divorced in 2017 after separating in 2011. In 2014 and 2015, Omar filed joint taxes with Ahmed Hirsi, while Elmi remained her legal husband. Homeland Security Investigations searched Omar’s Washington, D.C., home on 12 October, seizing evidence. Prosecutors are reportedly considering a conspiracy case alleging that individuals worked together to break U.S. immigration laws. Former prosecutor Neama Rahmani said older actions could support a conspiracy charge. A separate allegation concerns Omar’s age when her father became a U.S. citizen in 2000; investigators suspect her birth date was misrepresented during the immigration process. Omar arrived from Somalia in 1995 and, according to former President Barack Obama, gained citizenship through her father at age 17. Obama has suggested the administration might seek to remove her citizenship, while border official Tom Homan believes investigators have a strong case. Omar’s lawyers say there is no basis for questioning her citizenship and demand the return of seized property, alleging investigators ignored judicial instructions and violated policies regarding investigations near elections. The Justice Department rejected these claims, stating officials followed all legal requirements. A former immigration official said an earlier investigation found insufficient evidence of a sibling marriage. Obama has accused the administration of targeting Omar for criticizing former President Donald Trump and has alleged political retaliation. The White House has defended the inquiry as upholding law and order.