Ilhan Omar’s first husband reportedly felt “embarrassed” by the presence of her alleged “brother,” who is accused of having been married to her, during his stay in Minnesota, according to a family friend.
The congresswoman from Minnesota had two young kids with Ahmed Hirsi when she abruptly separated from him in 2009. Soon after, she married Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, an “extremely feminine” individual from London known for his unique fashion choices, such as wearing short shorts with cowboy boots.
This quick marriage was possible because her previous Islamic union with Hirsi in 2002 wasn’t legally recognized.
A close friend of Hirsi claimed that Omar and her former husband were still somewhat together, and Elmi moving in disrupted their relationship significantly. The arrangement was allegedly intended to help Elmi secure immigration papers to start a new life in the U.S.
According to the source, community gossip swirled around Elmi’s arrival. “He wore tight clothing typical of women, which is quite frowned upon in our culture,” the friend shared. “I confronted Ahmed about it.”
Hirsi responded that Elmi was his wife’s brother from London and expressed strong discontent, saying Omar had “embarrassed all of us by bringing him here,” using some harsh language to describe the situation.
Hirsi was well-integrated within Minnesota’s Somali community and was known for being very social and engaged. The source remarked, “He was really in touch with what was going on around him, known affectionately as South Side.”
However, after Elmi’s arrival, friends noticed a shift in Hirsi’s demeanor. “All the Somalis were curious about who the new guy was,” the source recalled. “Then we learned it was Nur Said Elmi’s son—everyone was shocked.”
The friend reiterated long-standing allegations against Omar, disclosing that Hirsi attributed Elmi’s immigration to his wife’s actions. “He said she legally married him to get him papers; their real bond was only Islamic,” they added.
According to Hirsi, Elmi was “pure trash” who brought shame to the family, expressing frustration over Omar’s decision to bring him over.
Community members allegedly distanced themselves from Elmi. “I would see him around but we’d avoid each other, as people would judge me differently,” the friend explained, mentioning how Elmi’s behavior contrasted sharply with that of his father, a respected military figure in the community.
Hirsi supposedly didn’t want Elmi anywhere near his children—Isra, now 23, Adnan, 20, and their third child, Ilwad, born in 2012 while Omar was still with Elmi.
“Hirsi would often voice his disdain for her brother, worrying about the influence he might have with his lifestyle,” the friend noted.
Conflicts over Elmi allegedly caused considerable strain between Hirsi and Omar. The friend revealed that they would argue in public often, and Hirsi felt a sense of relief when Elmi left Minnesota around 2012, expressing gratitude for escaping the situation.
Since 2016, Omar has faced accusations of marrying Elmi fraudulently for immigration reasons, to which she has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Omar arrived in the U.S. as a refugee from Somalia in 1995 and maintains that she and Hirsi were never officially married, despite applying for a marriage license in 2002. They later reconciled after separating in 2008, marrying legally in 2018.
Omar and Elmi were married from 2009 to 2017, with their shared address being noted for both the marriage documents and Hirsi’s business license.
After claiming they split in 2011, Omar indicated it took some time to finalize the separation paperwork. There were also reports of joint tax filings between her and Hirsi in 2014 and 2015, during her marriage to Elmi, which were later amended.
Omar and Hirsi eventually divorced in 2019, and she is currently married to her former political advisor, Tim Mynett.
Elmi relocated back to the UK after a period in South Africa and is said to be living a vibrant life, working at the University of Bristol while completing his doctorate in 2023. He describes himself as a “dirty dandy” on social media, showcasing colorful outfits and socializing with friends at cafes.
His academic interests involve queer studies and gender research.
