Immigration officers search Congresswoman Ilhan Omar dwelling

US immigration brokers searched the house of Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar on Monday morning as a part of a “prison investigation”.

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) brokers “executed a judicially licensed search warrant” for the house within the Washington, DC, space, a US justice division spokesperson instructed the BBC.

The search “is a part of an ongoing federal prison investigation,” the spokesperson mentioned, however no additional particulars got.

Omar was born in Somalia and got here to the US aged eight fleeing battle. First elected to Congress in 2018, she is working for reelection subsequent month, and is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.

The US Congress is presently out of session and it’s unclear if Omar was on the dwelling. The BBC has contacted Omar for remark.

A BBC crew noticed a number of brokers on the dwelling, some carrying bins to a van. News of the search was first reported by Fox News, which has mentioned the consultant is being investigated over immigration paperwork filed by her late father when Omar was a baby.

The nature of the prison investigation stays unclear, however it isn’t the primary time her immigration data have been scrutinised by Republicans. Earlier this yr, fellow Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina unsuccessfully filed a subpoena of her data.

Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin instructed a conservative podcaster “one thing goes to occur”, making allegations of marital fraud in opposition to Omar. Separately, the White House border tsar Tom Homan instructed Fox News Omar was being investigated for unspecified immigration violations.

Omar, a Democrat, denied these allegations final month. “I’ll say it once more so it is as clear as attainable: I’m in no way fearful about these investigations, as a result of they’re full shams,” she mentioned in a marketing campaign fundraising e-mail, an archive of which has been seen by the BBC.

She has been focused by Trump with the president beforehand suggesting that she “ought to return” to Somalia and that she needs to be deported. US citizenship is required to function a US House Representative.

Omar has responded to Trump’s insults and assaults describing them as an “unhealthy and creepy obsession.”

The president additionally spoke unfavourably in regards to the Somali American group. Last week, he wrote on social media that Minnesota “is being taken over by Somali immigrants” and mentioned “the folks of Minnesota should battle again.”

Republicans celebrated the search. “Nobody is above the regulation,” mentioned Minnesota Representative Tom Emmer. “We stay up for studying extra particulars about this raid and investigation. ACCOUNTABILITY IS COMING!”