Lawyers for US Representative Ilhan Omar have demanded that the Justice Department return items taken during a search of her Washington home. They say federal agents carried out the search without a lawful basis and argue that the investigation is driven by political motives.
In a letter sent on Friday, the Minnesota Democrat’s legal team said there was no valid reason to suggest that Omar had broken any law related to her citizenship. They accused the government of targeting her because she has long been a critic of President Donald Trump.
The search took place on Monday, just weeks before the midterm elections. Omar is on the ballot, and her lawyers say the timing raises serious concerns about the possible effect on the election.
The attorneys argued that the investigation violates Omar’s constitutional rights and threatens the separation of powers. They also questioned whether federal agents followed all the instructions given by the magistrate judge who approved the search.
The Justice Department rejected the claims. A department spokesperson said the letter contained false allegations and inaccurate statements. The spokesperson also said government attorneys and law enforcement partners had complied with court orders and their legal duties.
The operation quickly drew criticism from Democrats. The timing is especially sensitive because the Justice Department has historically sought to avoid public investigative actions involving political candidates within 60 days of a primary or general election.
Omar’s lawyers argue that the search may have gone against this longstanding practice. They have also asked the department to preserve any audio and video recordings made during the operation. Those records could help show how the search was carried out and whether officials followed the court’s instructions.
Federal agents seized Omar’s phone during the search, according to a person briefed on the investigation. The same person said investigators had issued more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including to some of Omar’s relatives.
The full scope of the case remains unclear. Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has suggested that authorities are examining possible crimes linked to immigration paperwork involving Omar’s family.
A separate inquiry concerns Omar’s financial disclosures. Washington’s US attorney, Jeanine Pirro, has said several investigations involving the lawmaker and her office are underway. Her office is also examining issues related to Omar’s financial reporting.
Omar has faced allegations about her marriage and immigration history for years. Conservative websites have claimed that she married her brother to commit immigration fraud. She has repeatedly rejected the claims, calling them lies and describing the accusations as offensive.
Omar’s congressional biography says she and her family fled Somalia’s civil war when she was eight years old. They spent four years in a refugee camp in Kenya before moving to the United States during the 1990s. Her family settled in Minneapolis in 1997.
Her lawyers say Omar became a naturalized US citizen in 2000. They maintain that there is no legitimate basis to question her citizenship or suggest that she broke immigration law.
The search also came shortly after Trump made critical remarks about Omar at a rally in Tennessee. He referred to her in negative terms and suggested that Vice President JD Vance and others were investigating her.
Hours after the search, Trump told reporters that he had nothing to do with the operation. He said the matter was up to the Justice Department.
Omar’s attorneys are now seeking the return of her property and the preservation of all recordings related to the search. Their letter challenges the legal grounds for the operation and questions why it took place so close to an election.
The Justice Department has defended its conduct but has not publicly disclosed the full evidence behind the investigation. The allegations remain unresolved, and officials have not provided a complete account of the inquiry.
The dispute has renewed debate over the limits of federal investigations involving elected officials and the need to protect election processes from improper influence. The department’s response to Omar’s legal demands may determine the next stage of the dispute.
