Representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) labeled the claims that she married her brother as “insane” during an interview on Wednesday, yet she didn’t completely dismiss the idea that she might be related to her ex-husband.
When asked by MS NOW’s Chris Hayes if there was any truth to the allegation that she wed her brother, Omar replied, “Not to my knowledge.”
The allegations against Omar and her ex, Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, date back a decade and suggest they were married to help him obtain a green card. She explained that these claims began on a “Somali blog” and gained traction through “right-wing conspiracy theorists,” marking her first interview since federal agents conducted a search of her Washington, DC home last week.
“Somebody claimed he had to have been my brother or something to that effect,” the Minnesota representative explained.
Omar pointed out that some bloggers even tracked down random individuals who supposedly heard her say Elmi was her brother, calling this notion “insane.”
When discussing her financial situation, Omar referred to herself as “working class” and living “paycheck to paycheck,” even in light of documents suggesting she and her husband had a collective net worth of around $30 million, a figure she later claimed was misrepresented.
“I drive a 2016 Toyota Camry. It’s our only car. I rent my places in both DC and Minneapolis, so I don’t know… it feels like that doesn’t align with what most of Congress experiences, but some of us do come from less wealthy backgrounds,” she told Hayes.
She expressed that the recent search warrant execution by Homeland Security Investigations has forced her to reconsider living at her DC home.
“I can’t continue to live there, so we have to figure out where to move to,” she said, highlighting concerns over her address becoming public and the ongoing death threats she faces, making it unsafe for her family.
Since the raid, the “Squad” member has been relatively quiet. In her first public comments since the incident, Omar urged her supporters to contribute to her re-election campaign, framing it as a fight against intimidation tactics used by the Trump administration, especially leading up to the midterm elections.
In a video filmed from the back of a moving vehicle, she accused the president of being “scared.”
The federal investigation into Omar’s residence focused on allegations of immigration fraud. Agents took her cellphone, personal computers, and passport during their search.
The inquiry is being led by the Minnesota US Attorney’s Office and may involve potential inaccuracies regarding her birth date on immigration documents, according to sources. More than a dozen grand jury subpoenas have been issued, some directed at Omar’s relatives, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
If it’s found that Omar’s citizenship was obtained through deceitful means—either by her or her father, Nur Omar Mohamed—there could be efforts to denaturalize and deport her, based on information from sources. Trump stated that Omar could face jail time if immigration fraud is substantiated.
“She could go to jail,” Trump remarked, adding, “They keep talking about deportation.”
Omar has continually denied any allegations of immigration fraud. She asserts that she became a citizen at 17 through her father, who became a naturalized citizen in 2000, five years after moving to the US.
Additionally, a separate investigation concerning her and her husband’s finances is being conducted by the Washington, DC US Attorney’s Office.
Omar has rejected any allegations of financial misconduct as well.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
