Ilhan Omar Challenges FBI Search, Demands Return of Seized Property

Washington, MINA – Lawyers for US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have challenged the legality of a search of her Washington home, demanding that federal prosecutors return all seized property and provide recordings made during the operation.

In a letter sent late Friday, the Minnesota Democrat’s legal team argued that the search, carried out by Homeland Security Investigations agents early Monday under a warrant approved by a federal judge, was “neither justified nor lawful.” The investigation reportedly focuses in part on how Omar, 44, obtained US citizenship after arriving from Somalia decades ago.

“There is no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status,” the letter said.

Omar’s lawyers alleged that agents failed to comply with the judge’s instructions, including a requirement to notify the US House general counsel before executing the warrant. They also claimed that Omar and her attorneys were not provided with a copy of the warrant beforehand, as ordered by the judge, and that agents prevented her from contacting her lawyers for more than an hour after the search began.

A Justice Department spokeswoman rejected the allegations, describing the letter as “riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies.” She said the department’s attorneys and law enforcement partners had complied with all court orders and legal obligations.

Jeanine Pirro, the US attorney for Washington, defended the operation earlier this week, saying it had been approved by a federal judge who considered constitutional protections. “That judge would not have signed that warrant unless there was probable cause,” Pirro said on Fox News.

Omar’s legal team also accused prosecutors of abusing the grand jury process through subpoenas issued in Washington and Minnesota. The letter described the investigation as politically motivated and argued that it violated Omar’s constitutional rights and threatened the separation of powers.

The search took place three weeks before the November midterm elections, in which Omar is seeking a fifth term in Congress. Her lawyers also accused the Justice Department of violating its longstanding practice of avoiding public investigative actions involving political candidates within 60 days of an election, a measure intended to prevent the appearance of partisan interference. Department officials have denied violating any policy.

“This search—which arose from a years-old, tired conspiracy theory concerning conduct stretching back decades—violated longstanding Justice Department policy concerning interference in elections,” the letter said.

Omar, a Somali-American Democrat representing Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, has frequently been targeted by President Donald Trump and conservative politicians. She is among the first Muslim women elected to the US Congress and has been an outspoken critic of US foreign policy, particularly its policies toward Israel and the Palestinian cause.

The citizenship investigation comes amid years of scrutiny of Omar by conservative critics and Republican-led congressional inquiries. Some conservatives have accused her of marrying her brother to circumvent immigration laws, an allegation she has repeatedly denied. Reports that the Justice Department reopened its citizenship probe, followed by the search of her home, have intensified attention on the case.

The timing of the operation, shortly before the midterm elections, has raised concerns over potential political interference and the use of law enforcement against critics of the president. Omar’s lawyers maintain that the investigation is politically motivated, while the Justice Department has rejected allegations of misconduct.

The dispute has renewed questions about the independence of federal law enforcement, compliance with judicial orders and the protection of constitutional rights as the election approaches.[]

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)