Lawyers for Representative Ilhan Omar demand return of property seized in federal raid

WASHINGTON — Lawyers representing US Representative Ilhan Omar demanded the return of property seized during a federal raid on her Washington, DC, home, accusing the Department of Justice of conducting a politically motivated investigation.

Federal agents searched the Minnesota Democrat’s northeast Washington residence on Monday as part of an ongoing inquiry into alleged immigration fraud. According to reports from The Washington Post, authorities confiscated Representative Omar’s phone and passport while issuing more than a dozen grand jury subpoenas, including demands directed at some of her relatives.

Omar’s legal team contended that the search breached safeguards protecting members of Congress and failed to adhere to judicial instructions.

In response to the demands, Justice Department spokesperson Emily Covington rejected the accusations. Covington described the lawyers’ letter as “riddled with false allegations and inaccuracies,” adding that prosecutors and law enforcement partners fully complied with all court orders and legal obligations.

The inquiry revives scrutiny regarding the lawmaker’s background. Representative Omar fled Somalia as a child with her family and became a naturalised US citizen in 2000, according to official House biographical records. Her immigration history was previously examined in 2019 during the first administration of Donald Trump, an effort that ultimately concluded with insufficient evidence of wrongdoing to warrant a full investigation, according to The Washington Post.