Washington, Oct 12 — Federal agents searched the Washington-area residence of Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar on Monday as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, escalating federal scrutiny of one of President Donald Trump's most outspoken political opponents.
The US Department of Justice confirmed that agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, executed a court-authorised search warrant in the Washington area.
"Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice," a Justice Department spokesperson said.
"This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation," the spokesperson added.
The department did not identify the suspected offences, disclose what investigators were seeking or say whether any evidence had been seized.
Fox News, citing sources familiar with the investigation, reported that the inquiry concerned immigration documents prepared by Omar's late father when she was a child.
The reported focus of the investigation could not be independently confirmed from the Justice Department's statement.
Omar, a Somali-born naturalised American citizen who represents Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District, has repeatedly rejected allegations questioning the legitimacy of her immigration history.
No criminal charges against the congresswoman had been announced in connection with Monday's search.
The development comes amid a prolonged confrontation between Omar and Trump, who has repeatedly questioned her background and criticised her political positions.
In January this year, President Donald Trump publicly referred to an investigation involving Omar and made allegations about her personal finances.
The latest search marks a significant development because federal investigators obtained judicial authorisation to enter a residence associated with a sitting member of Congress.
A search warrant requires judicial approval based on probable cause. Its execution does not establish that the subject of an investigation has committed an offence.
The investigation also comes just three weeks before the November 3 congressional midterm elections, when control of the House of Representatives and Senate will be contested.
Omar is seeking re-election in Minnesota, where immigration enforcement has emerged as a politically contentious issue.
The congresswoman has been particularly critical of the Trump administration's immigration policies, including enforcement operations affecting immigrant communities in Minnesota.
The administration, meanwhile, has argued for stronger immigration enforcement and closer scrutiny of suspected fraud involving immigration documents and citizenship applications.
Omar, 44, was born in Somalia and arrived in the United States as a refugee during the 1990s. She became a US citizen and was first elected to Congress in 2018, becoming one of the first two Muslim women elected to the House of Representatives.
She has been a prominent critic of Trump's domestic and foreign policies. Her political career has frequently placed her at the centre of national debates over immigration, race, religion and the treatment of minority communities in the United States.